Ould Lammas Fair 2026 begins with a bang - horse parade and fireworks - with two days of street fair to come
The 2026 Ould Lammas Fair kicked off in style, with its signature horse parade, fireworks and live music – but tomorrow the street fair and horse trading really takes off – with the weather expected to be “gorgeous”.
Some 400 years old, each year the fair sees the seaside town transformed with hundreds of stalls, live music and fine eating, drawing thousands of people from across Northern Ireland.
If Saturday and Sunday saw a particular focus on entertainment, today and tomorrow sees the fair’s traditional trading come to the fore, with hundreds of stalls lining the streets and the historic horse-trading tradition.
Visitors can also enjoy horseshoe demonstrations, live music, busking stations and a mobile animal farm.
The fair is famed for two distinctive local treats – Yellow Man and dulse.
The festivities began on Saturday with the Heavy Horse Show and parade, a vintage vehicle display, street theatre, family activities and live music on the seafront on both days.
Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, councillor Dawn Huggins, told the News Letter: “The fair opened on Saturday and we are pleased to say that great crowds came along as usual to take in the experience.
“And the fireworks display on Saturday night went down great, I have had a few phone calls from constituents saying how much they enjoyed it.”
She added: “On Monday the street fair really takes off so we are really looking forward to that.
“I will be there in person because I want to go out and about and meet all the traders.
“Down on the seafront there is really non-stop entertainment throughout all four days of the fair.
“But I would say that Monday marks the start of the actual street fair, with crafts and stalls and everything on sale.
“And we must say the weather is going to be gorgeous on Monday as well, so we would welcome everyone along to enjoy the experience.”
The street trading runs from 8am to 9pm today, and 8am to 8.30pm tomorrow. Ballycastle Museum on Castle Street will open from 11am to 5pm on both days.
A major attraction across both days will be the horse trading on Fairhill Street, from 10am to 6pm.
Visitors can also see horseshoe demonstrations every hour and a half from noon to 5pm, giving a glimpse of the traditional skills long been associated with the fair.
There will be a Family Fun Zone on the seafront from 11am until late, a Mobile Animal Farm on Clare Street from 11am to 6pm, and various have-a-go activities, Bubble Bike entertainment and busking stations around the town.
Today, the Seafront Music Stage features Baile an Chaistil Comhaltas, Mulholland Sisters, Sarah Carson, Jamie Sloan, Erin Doherty and Polar Bolero Duo, running from 11am through to 8pm.
Tomorrow, the entertainment continues, again with Baile an Chaistil Comhaltas, Tog go Bog e, Conor and Jack, James Bradley and Half Cut, from 11am through to 6.30pm.