2026 will mark the return of the successful Ferdia Festival to Ardee. Last year the new community led festival delivered a vibrant celebration of arts, music, and collaboration in Ardee. This year sees the festival expand to a 2 day offering including a street parade and fire show!

The Samhain and Halloween themes are back as the festival will take place on Saturday 31^st October and Sunday 1^st November. Visitors can once again experience street arts and activities hosted in a range of outdoor spaces and indoor venues, including St Mary’s Church, the School of Music, the Dee Hub, the Bohemian Centre, Illusionz Studio, Bridgins Hall and the park.

Funded by Louth County Council Arts Office and the Arts Council of Ireland, the festival features a mix of activities for all ages, including art workshops, live music, historical walking tours with an eerie twist, and the pop -up ‘Museum of the Town’ is back with a Ghost House theme! Professional arts performers will appear alongside community-led arts activities like dance, children’s art workshops, a spooky trail and more!

Local schools have been invited to participate in this year inaugural parade which will take place on Sunday 1^st Nov where drummers, dancers and performers will delight audiences and light up the night. The festival will finish with a flourish after the parade in the local park where spectators will be treated to aerial performances and an impressive fire show.

The Ferdia Festival builds on Ardee’s tradition of arts programming in November, shifting the focus to include participation with the community and local heritage. While the Mid-Louth town had long hosted the Ardee Baroque Festival until 2023, this new initiative which began last year aimed to engage more local communities in the arts and creativity of the festival.

The festival’s name – Ferdia Festival – has been chosen to reflect Ardee’s rich creative and cultural heritage.