The perfect Christmas gift: Longford Lights 2026 tickets are now on sale

Longford Lights 2026, Ireland’s largest community-based light festival, returns to Connolly Barracks in Longford Town in February next year. Tickets for the festival are now on sale on LongfordLights.ie and through Ticket Tailor. 

Now entering its fourth and final year, the 2026 festival runs from Thursday, 19 February to Sunday, 22 February with a trail of illuminated art and events that will inspire visitors to explore Longford Town at night. This year's event will feature 28 artworks based on the theme of 'Lightly Playful', staged around outdoor locations in Longford Town and Connolly Barracks.

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Longford County Council and Mide Arts Group invites families and friends of all ages to get together and explore captivating art which is set to transform Longford’s county town.

Some of the highlights of this year’s event include ‘The Glowing Flock’ by Harveen Chintamunee, which is an illuminated performance featuring a glowing shepherd, his flock of light filled sheep and playful sheepdog puppet. This piece celebrates rural life, connection and joy through light and gentle humour.

Sky Streamers Community Project will see four hundred lantern windsocks shimmer above the Connolly Barracks parade ground each illuminated with a child’s chosen word forming the magical Sky Streamers community installation. Another feature of the Longford Lights 2026 Programme is Shadó Shadó by Liam Delaney. Nature’s movement is transformed into projected shadow imagery, forming a quiet, cinematic installation told gently through light.

Shane Crossan, Longford Arts Officer and Festival Manager said:

“Perhaps one of the most exciting additions to this year’s festival is what will be Ireland’s first ever Nighttime Illuminated Bicycle Parade. Longford Lights has teamed up with artist Conor McCague, the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Heartland Wheelers Cycling Club to create a nighttime parade around Longford Town finishing at the festival venue. Special bicycle creations called ‘Frankenstein Bicycles’ will be made for the event and illuminated with led lights and lanterns. Youth Members of Longford’s Irish Wheelchair Association will propel the bicycles with the help of Heartland Wheeler volunteers. As far as we know, this is the first event of its kind in Ireland.”

The festival is delivered and funded by Longford County Council in partnership with Mide Arts Group. Funding is also provided by The Arts Council, Creative Ireland and Longford Tourism. Over 7,000 visitors came from across the country to attend the 2025 festival, which involved 32 artists and 43 schools and community organisations. They created 35 art installations made from thousands of lights. As with last year, 2026 will see community involvement as local groups and organisations will work with internationally and nationally celebrated artists to create the many art installations within the festival. 

Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Garry Murtagh said, “2026 will see the grand finale of Longford Lights as this wonderful spectacle enters its fourth and final year and once again it will attract a significant amount of people to Longford. It is extremely beneficial for our local arts community and indeed our local economy as we look forward to increased footfall in Longford Town throughout the festival. I encourage you support the festival by gifting your family and friends, tickets to Longford Lights 2026 for Christmas this year.” 

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Longford County Council Chief Executive Paddy Mahon said, “Longford Lights is proudly supported by the Council as we work to support an environment where the arts can flourish to the benefit of artists, local communities and visitors to the county. Longford Lights 2026, promises to be a festival which can be enjoyed by all.”

Tickets for Longford Lights 2026 are available from LongfordLights.ie and Ticket Tailor. Tickets are €5 each.