BALLINA

Immerse yourself in the traditions and culture of 12 different countries, each showcasing their own music, dance, costumes and food on the streets of Ballina. Use Ballina’s own local currency to avail of a taste of the country of your choice, and enjoy authentic music, song, dance and street theatre as you wander. Afterwards, proceed to the Military Quarter for a live outdoor concert by Bog O'The Loughs. An unforgettable evening in Ballina!

Rinka's mission is to teach children that fitness is fun, and that anyone can do it – regardless of ability! A new addition to the Ballina Salmon Festival Children's Programme, little ones will love this fun fitness workshop with Rinka that will benefit both body and mind!

A creative workshop for children, recycling old household materials to make art!

This town centre stage will feature daily lunchtime concerts featuring the talented young members of The Core and the various Music Generation Mayo programmes. The stage will also feature young performers from throughout Mayo as The Core aims to provide a platform for young local musicians.

Fun in the pool for water babies! Age 6-10 years. Admission: FREE. NOTE: All children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult (adult must pay pool admission).

A sports day with lots of fun, games and laughter! Admission: FREE. Children should wear suitable footwear and bring a drink and small snack.

Join us in the gorgeous Nephin Suite of the Great National Hotel for an eclectic evening of song, showcasing Ballina’s proud choral heritage as all our town choirs combine to put on a musical extravaganza. That's over 200 talented performers, singing together in one magnificent performance! Dress for the occasion, sip a glass of wine and savour some local food as our talented choirs as put on an unforgettable musical experience.

A creative workshop for children, recycling old household materials to make art!

Learn about the Ballina Salmon Festival in years gone by! Each child attending this creative workshop will walk away with a lovely story about the Ballina Salmon Festival, having created their very own newspaper front page, using images and articles taken from the Jackie Clarke Collection's newspaper collection over the past 53 years.

This town centre stage will feature daily lunchtime concerts featuring the talented young members of The Core and the various Music Generation Mayo programmes. The stage will also feature young performers from throughout Mayo as The Core aims to provide a platform for young local musicians.

Learn basic martial arts skills with Harry of Moy Valley Freestyle Martial Arts! Admission: FREE

Join the Ballina Salmon Festival 5k fully timed race, starting from the heart of town, visiting the scenic Quay Village and finishing back on Pearse Street. Proceeds in aid of River Moy Search and Rescue.

This town centre stage will feature daily lunchtime concerts featuring the talented young members of The Core and the various Music Generation Mayo programmes. The stage will also feature young performers from throughout Mayo as The Core aims to provide a platform for young local musicians.

The ancient tradition of falconry - hunting with birds of prey - has been handed down through the generations. As part of the Ballina Salmon Festival Heritage Day, Mount Falcon Estate's resident falconer will visit the Community Garden at the Jackie Clarke Collection, where children and adults can meet some of these beautiful birds. This is a rare opportunity not to be missed. Admission: FREE. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

A fun session at Ireland's largest indoor play centre! Parents and guardians can enjoy a coffee in the adjoining café while the children have a blast. Admission: Free

Ballina is a town with a colourful, fascinating history dating back thousands of years. What better way to learn about that history than to embark on a walking tour of Ballina with one of our very own local historians? Carmel Hughes on her fascinating tour will point out landmarks and buildings of historical interest and share some of the fascinating stories of our market town's history. Tours start at 11am sharp and admission is FREE.

Children will love this clay modelling workshop delivered by local artist Alice Dixon, where they can don their aprons and let their imaginations run riot as they create wonderful clay treasures. The Clay Modelling Workshops for Children at Ballina Salmon Festival are an old festival favourite, and be warned, they book out quickly!

This town centre stage will feature daily lunchtime concerts featuring the talented young members of The Core and the various Music Generation Mayo programmes. The stage will also feature young performers from throughout Mayo as The Core aims to provide a platform for young local musicians.

Meet at the Duck Pond in beautiful Belleek Woods to pick up your clues and solve the puzzles. Find all the answers and enjoy some treats along the way! Admission: €2. No booking necessary

Try your hand (and your feet) at Hip Hop, Contemporary, Popping, Locking, Breakdancing and more in this hour-long fun dance session with Ciara! Admission FREE, No booking necessary.

An evening of the very best of Irish and American country music and entertainment, featuring one of Ireland's finest country acts, Johnny Brady. With sizzling BBQ and rodeo games - a foot-tappingly good night out for country fans!

Ballina is a town with a colourful, fascinating history dating back thousands of years. What better way to learn about that history than to embark on a walking tour of Ballina with one of our very own local historians? Carmel Hughes on her fascinating tour will point out landmarks and buildings of historical interest and share some of the fascinating stories of our market town's history. Tours start at 11am sharp and admission is FREE.

Run by local artist Alice Dixon, this two-hour papier-mâché workshop is a great way of encouraging children to get creative. Booking essential.

Run by North West Fitness Academy, this energetic class teaches basic boxing skills to children over the age of 6. Booking essential.

This town centre stage will feature daily lunchtime concerts featuring the talented young members of The Core and the various Music Generation Mayo programmes. The stage will also feature young performers from throughout Mayo as The Core aims to provide a platform for young local musicians.

The inimitable Babcock and Bobbins, juggling supremos, have performed all over Ireland, from Belfast to Ballina and from Coleraine to Cork. Now, they're coming back to Ballina with their super mix of traditional circus, slapstick comedy and circus skills, which included Fire Juggling, Stilt Walking, Rola Bola, Giraffe Unicycle, Fire Breathing and more! This workshop, delivered by circus and juggling supremos, Babcock and Bobbins incorporates a great mix of juggling, circus games and lots and lots of laughs.

Pick up your clues for the Ballina Salmon Festival Car Treasure Hunt at Rouse's Bar on Pearse Street and take to the roads to find the answers! A Ballina favourite with lots of laughs guaranteed. Visitors, grab your sat nav and join in the fun - and watch out for our hidden treasures along the route.

The annual Ballina Athletic 10k road race takes place at 7pm. Walkers and runners welcome. Chip timing in operation and a lovely fun evening guaranteed.

Kick back to an amazing traditional music extravaganza, with the best of Irish traditional dance, ceol agus craic. Featuring performances from North Mayo’s finest award-winning traditional music groups, champion Irish dancers, and lots, lots more.

Day 3 of The Ballina Salmon Festival Busking Competition, bringing live music to the streets of the Ballina. Kindly sponsored by Supermac’s Ballina, the competition is open to solo performers and bands/groups of all ages. All types of music are welcomed as musicians compete for a top prize of €750. The final takes place in the town centre at 9pm tonight. before the Mardi Gras and Fireworks Display

The Children's Fishing Competition is one of the festival highlights for children. Come along on the day and compete for prizes for the best catch!

This town centre stage will feature daily lunchtime concerts featuring the talented young members of The Core and the various Music Generation Mayo programmes. The stage will also feature young performers from throughout Mayo as The Core aims to provide a platform for young local musicians.

Great tunes, prizes for best fancy dress costumes picked by the Lady of the Moy, best dancer competition and best mammy and daddy dance prize! Goodie bag on departure. Admission: €2. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Give canoeing on our famous River Moy a go with Moy Canoe Club. Meet opposite the Cathedral on Cathedral Road. Wear shorts and t-shirts. Lifejackets supplied. Admission: FREE.

Join up to 25,000 people in Mayo’s biggest street party! Enjoy an incredible explosion of colour, Latin rhythms, street theatre and dance at the electrifying Ballina Salmon Festival Mardi Gras. Round off your night with a magnificent fireworks display over the River Moy, against the background of the iconic St. Muredach’s Cathedral.