Another fruitful harvest as festival welcomes thousands to Waterford City

Waterford Harvest Festival returned to the city on the first weekend in September, bringing a programme packed full of old favourites and exciting new experiences for thousands to enjoy, with Saturday at the festival hitting peak Winterval crowds, according to festival co-director Mark Dunne.

A key feature of this year's festival was the return to Ballybricken Green, which historically played a vital role in Waterford's commercial heritage as a livestock and trading centre.

This year's Harvest Festival reimagined the city's former livestock and trading centre in Ballybricken Green as 'The Old Quarter' of the festival, with a vibrant festival hub filled with food, music, culture and local enterprise, celebrating the rich history, character and community spirit of the area. It was hailed as a "massive success" by festival organisers.

Waterford Academy of Music and Arts were in the area throughout the weekend, offering free music and art workshops, while alpacas, sheep and goats were taking over Ballybricken as part of a local farms and produce showcase, with produce from the farms on sale at the old quarter.

Another new offering at this year's festival was The Big Breakfast Swap in support of Waterford Food Bank, where members of the public donated non-perishable food items and received a breakfast blaa in return, with everything for the breakfasts donated by local businesses, like Hickey's Bakery, Countrystyle Foods, The Olive Cafe and a local egg producer.

A food lovers' global taste trail, comedy, cocktails and canapés event, and a guided foraging experience through the historic woodlands and gardens of Mount Congreve Gardens were also new additions to this year's festival.

With such a successful line-up of new events over the weekend, Harvest Festival co-director Mark Dunne told this newspaper many would be coming back next year.

"We're looking to develop the relationship with the food bank more," he said, "it was very, very popular and with great support and sponsorship from the Olive Cafe, Hickey's Blaas and Countrystyle foods [...] It was really, really worthwhile, we're very happy with it."

Between the new and the old, Harvest Festival 2026 continued a long tradition of successful festivals in the Déise, with a weekend of fine weather only making the festival that much better for locals and visitors alike.

“The entire team behind the Waterford Harvest Festival has been truly humbled by the incredible love and support shown by the people of Waterford,” Mr. Dunne said.

“Harvest has always been about much more than a programme of events. It is about community, pride in our city, local people coming together and creating something that genuinely belongs to Waterford.” 

This year's festival also saw the introduction of a new sensory hub in City Square Shopping Centre, as Autism Friendly Waterford and Nua Healthcare came together to provide two dedicated sensory spaces throughout the weekend, ensuring all families could enjoy the festival and all it had to offer.

The very first King of the Grill was also crowned over the weekend, as four backyard BBQ enthusiasts stepped into the fire at John Roberts Square for an intense live BBQ battle, with Kerry cook Darren Pilz taking the crown.

Harvest Festival favourites from festivals gone by were plentiful over the weekend, with the harvest festival river cruises introduced as part of last year's programme and the popular yoga breakfast event all sold out before the weekend began.

The long-standing tradition of harvest kitchen demos also made their return this year, with free food demonstrations by some of Waterford and Ireland's top chefs, as well as the classic blaa eating competition and junior MasterChef faceoff.

“Seeing families, community groups, local businesses, producers, volunteers and visitors filling our streets throughout the weekend is what makes all the hard work worthwhile,” said Mr Dunne.

“Year after year, the people of Waterford get behind this festival and make it what it is. That support, loyalty and sense of community is something we never take for granted. From everyone involved, thank you for turning up, taking part, supporting local and once again showing exactly what makes Waterford such a special place,” he said.

Live music was heard throughout the city centre all weekend, with the Broadstreet stage buzzing with activity each day, as well as some storytelling events across the weekend for all age groups by renowned storyteller Eddie Lenihan.

The iconic Harvest Festival craft market also made its return this year, with fantastic arts and crafts displays from local and not so local artists and makers.

Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr Liam Brazil, also commented on another successful year for the Harvest Festival, saying, “The festival is now in its 17th year and is a highlight each year in the Waterford calendar. It brings people together to celebrate great food, local producers, talented chefs, and everything that makes Waterford such a special place to visit and enjoy.”