Longford Pride is back with a bang, and it’s bigger, brighter and bolder than ever

placeholder image — Longford Pride is back with a bang, and it’s bigger, brighter and bolder than ever and it runs from Monday, August 3-to Sunday, August 9. Picture: Shelley Corcoran | Picture: Shelley Corcoran

Running from Monday, August 3 to Sunday, August 9, they will be staging a massive programme of paid and free entertainment and activities for everyone

Longford Pride is back with a bang, and it’s bigger, brighter and bolder than ever!

Recently nominated for a GALA Event of the Year award, Longford Pride has firmly established itself as one of the highlights of the Summer, and for 2026, it’s bringing an even wider variety of events to town!

Running from Monday, August 3 to Sunday, August 9, they will be staging a massive programme of paid and free entertainment and activities for everyone to see or do.

Whether you’re part of LGBTQI+ community yourself, or just an ally looking to have fun, everybody’s welcome to get involved!

Things kick off on Monday August 3, with the official festival launch at 7pm in Midtown Kitchen & Bar, followed by “All Together Now”, a free polyphonic poetry workshop hosted by award winning queer poet, Hayley Fox-Roberts, to collectively write a poem that will be read onstage after Saturday’s parade.

Tuesday, August 4 marks the launch of a free art exhibition in Longford Library at 7.30pm, on the theme “My Body, My Self”, and the exhibition runs all week.

On Wednesday, the Temperance Hall will play host to “How To Be An Ally”, a free workshop in association with Pride@Work from 6.30pm, followed by a fantastic free talk on Intersectionality & Queerness with the brilliant Zainab Obasuyi and special guest at 8pm.

On Thursday, August 6, we’re back to the Temperance Hall at 6.30pm for another free Pride@Work workshop. This time, it’s “Quare Auld Times”, a whistle-stop tour through the history of LGBTQ+ identities in Ireland, from pre-history to the modern Pride movement.

Things start getting a little rowdier on Friday, August 7, when we head to Torc at 8pm for a quiz with a twist. There’ll be trivia, prizes and madness for the Pride Drag Table Quiz, hosted by the one and only Kara Kalua.

But Saturday, August 8 is when the party takes off, with a jam-packed all-day schedule. The Pride Craft Market returns to Pig Market Lane and the Market Square from 11am to 3pm, wrapping up in plenty of time for the all-important Parade we’ve all been looking forward to all year!

Starting at 4pm at the Barracks, the Parade will carry colour, music and snappy moves right through the town before returning to Pig Market Lane for post parade celebrations and entertainment, featuring Mr. Pride, SuZen, Sassy Weef and Karma Violet. And if you or your group would like to march, there’s still time to contact [email protected] to register!

Things kick up a notch at night, with the biggest party of the year. The official Longford Pride Party 2026 will be hosted by PVs Red Room, featuring some amazing cabaret performers, a fantastic drag show by Haus of Kwen, raffle and DJ from 9pm until late. Early Bird & Concession tickets are only €10, available now from Eventbrite, or €15 on the door on the night. It’s the party the whole Midlands will be talking about for another year, so don’t miss it!

You might need to take it a little easier on Sunday, August 9, but have no fear – you can walk, run or crawl the 5km Colour Fun Run at The Mall from 2.30pm at your own pace. White t-shirts will be available to buy or you can bring your own, to really show your true colours! Registration is free on Eventbrite.

Finally, to close the festival in style, the Midlands Adventurers Guild will be leading a game of Rude Grannies, a comedy tabletop game session, hosted by none other than Mr Bear Ireland 2026, Rob Partridge. The show will be a hilarious and chaotic role-playing adventure using dice and bingo, played in front of you, the audience, in the Green Room, at Edward J Valentine’s Bar, from 8pm.

For more information on any Longford Pride 2026 events, to get involved, or to donate or buy some lovely official t-shirts and hoodies to support the festival, you check out longford.pride on Instagram or Facebook.

All tickets and listings (subject to change) are available at Longford Pride Festival events on Eventbrite