Visit Armagh - Buskfest | 20th June 2026

BuskFest

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Welcome to BuskFest

BuskFest is an international busking festival which takes place in Banbridge, County Down, Northern Ireland. The event comprises an outdoor daytime busking competition followed by a prize giving ceremony in Banbridge town centre. Buskfest 2026 will be held on Saturday, 20 June 2026!

Busking Competition

Each year, the streets of Banbridge town centre are filled to capacity as hundreds of musicians, singers, bands, solo artists and street performers from across the globe compete live before large family crowds. Performers entertain audiences throughout the afternoon in the hope of winning a share of the cash prize pot.

This competition sits at the heart of BuskFest and offers performers the opportunity to showcase their talent on one of Northern Ireland’s most exciting street performance stages.

Graphic for Banbridge Buskfest 2026. Event details: Saturday 20 June 2026, with busking and artisan market from 2.00pm to 5.00pm, followed by prizegiving and concert.

Mission Statement

BuskFest showcases the wealth and diversity of musical talent and performing skills thriving from the local area and further afield.

We aim to make BuskFest the leading busking festival in Ireland through our professional approach to the organisation of the event and by proactively seeking innovative ways of developing the event.

We work in partnership with all sectors of our local community to ensure that the BuskFest event remains fully inclusive to all.

The event is organised by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.

Busking Competition

Be part of BuskFest!

Buskfest 2026 will take place on Saturday 20 June.

The categories are as follows:

Overall winner
Best Individual – Adult
Best Youth
Best Junior
Best Band
Best Performance
Spirit of Buskfest

Poster promoting Banbridge BuskFest 2026 with a painted image of a musician playing guitar. Text highlights a free event on Saturday 20 June 2026 and that registration is now open.

See also BuskFest on social media for updates for Buskfest 2026.

Event Information

Busking Competition
Registration and Pitch allocation:	Registration Point, Old Town Hall, Scarva Street, Banbridge: 10.30am – 12noon
Puppet Shows – Banyan Theatre – Three Billy Goats Gruff	There will be 2 showings of ‘Three Billy Goats Gruff’ at Banbridge Library, 23 Scarva Road, Banbridge – 10.30am and 12noon suitable for children aged 3 – 11 years and their families. Approx runtime of 45 minutes. A parent/guardian must accompany their child for the duration of the show.
Artisan Market	Bridge Street, beside The Imperial Inn & Scarva Street: 12noon – 5.00pm
Funfair	There will be a funfair from 12noon-9.00pm in Solitude Park
Busking Competition	Takes place from 2.00pm–5.00pm in the town centre. As well as enjoying the buskers and their performances, family friendly activity will include face painters, balloon modellers, caricaturist and walkabouts.
Judging	This will be done anonymously: 2.00pm – 5.00pm
Prize giving and evening concert	This takes place at the stage area close by the Downshire Arms. Prize giving and the evening concert begins at 5.00pm with last year’s winners, the 4am Club on stage, The Reillys at 6.15pm and the headline act – Anna’s Number at 7.30pm. The event finishes at 8.30pm.

Judging

There is a panel of judges who will individually judge buskers at their pitches. We want to see you perform naturally and how you entertain the public so you may not know when you have been judged and it may be on more than one occasion throughout the afternoon.

Each judge will shortlist their favourite performers and the judging panel will re-visit each one to select the finalists. At this stage you may or may not be told you are being judged.

Judges are looking for:

Musical ability – confidence and skill in what you do
Passion – enjoyment and enthusiasm for performing
Being yourself – choose songs or routines that suit you
Entertainment – show your personality and engage the public
Audience interaction – be friendly, polite, and approachable

Do not worry about mistakes. Relax, enjoy yourself, and perform naturally for the crowd.

Prize Information

Prize Pot – £4500
£1,500	Overall Winner	open to all ages
	The overall winner will perform at the Eats and Beats Festival, Newcastle which takes place on 5-6 September 2026
£500	Best Band	open to all ages
	The AmmA Centre Armagh will offer a recording session in its professional recording studio.
£500	Best Individual	18+ only
	The winner of this category will perform at Stendhal Festival, Limavady which takes place on 2-4 July 2026
£500	Best Youth – Sponsored by The Game of Thrones Studio Tour	13-17 years
	Oh Yeah Music Centre Belfast will offer a slot at a Volume Control Gig along with a music mentoring session.
£500	Best Junior	12 years and under
	The winner of this category will perform at the Sundown Market, Solitude Park, Banbridge on 5 September 2026
£500	Best Performance – Sponsored by Banbridge Chamber of Commerce	open to all ages
£500	Spirit of BuskFest – Sponsored by The Boulevard	open to all ages

BUSKFEST is made possible every year by the incredible organisations and people who fund, support and partner with us. Their dedication to the arts enables both us and our performers to do what we love. If you can, please show your support in return.

Rules

Individual Competition

Entrants must be aged 18 +

Youth Competition

Entrants must be aged between 13 and 17

Junior Competition

Entrants must be 12 years and under

COMPETITION ENTRY

Buskfest will take place on Saturday 20 June 2026.
Any performer arriving later than 12.00pm will not be judged as part of the competition but may be allocated a pitch to perform, if available.
Juniors and Youths must be accompanied by an adult at the time of registration and throughout the event.
Competitors may enter the Junior category only if the oldest performer in their group is 12 years of age or younger whilst the Youth category is open to groups whose members are between 13 and 17 years old.
No act can be entered in both the Junior, Youth and Individual categories.
No act can enter either category more than once; e.g. a competitor may not enter the competition as an Individual and then also enter as part of a Band.

BUSKING

You are required to busk from 2pm-5pm at your pitch
Any act that the judges deem to be dangerous, offensive or otherwise inappropriate will be asked to stop and will be withdrawn from the competition.
No mains powered amplification is allowed. The judges may ask buskers using battery-powered amplification to turn down their volume.
No pre-recorded backing tracks are permitted.

11.Please consider using reusable containers – no glass is permitted at your busking pitch. There are two Water Refill Stations in the town centre.

JUDGING

You may not be aware that you are being judged as this will be done anonymously at different times throughout the afternoon.
The judge’s decision is final. No discussion will be entered into.

PRIZE GIVING

All competitors must be at the Prize Giving Ceremony in the town centre at 5.30 pm to take part in the prize giving event.
The Winners may be invited to perform on stage so please ensure that you have your instrument(s) with you.
All Junior and Youth performers must be accompanied by an adult to allow the prize winning cheque to be issued.

Events

Three Billy Goats Gruff Puppet Show | Saturday 20 June

This much loved fairy-tale is brought to life with a pinch of Banyan magic with Puppetry, Storytelling and Original Music. Perfect for children aged 3 – 11 years and their families.

Book Now

Behind The Beat | Friday 19 June

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As part of Banbridge BUSKFEST 2026, we are delighted to introduce ‘In Conversation With’ featuring special guests Ralph McLean, Andrea Begley and Caitlin Henning.

Book Now

Busking Competition | Saturday 20 June

BuskFest’s busking competition fills Banbridge town centre with live street performances, as artists from around the world compete before family crowds for a share of the cash prize pot.

More Info

BuskFest Finale Concert & Prize Giving | Sat 20 June

Join us for an unforgettable finale concert at the stage area near the Downshire Arms, where a fantastic evening of live music, celebration and entertainment will bring the day to a thrilling close.

Book Now

Artisan Markets | Saturday 20 June

Our Artisan Food and Craft Markets celebrate the best of local creativity, flavour and community spirit across the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon borough.

More Info

David Lyttle & Jazzlife | Friday,19 June

Homegrown MOBO nominated jazz musician David Lyttle has brought his projects to almost 50 countries, collaborating with legends and icons along the way. He founded NI’s first nationwide jazz youth programme Jazz Juniors in 2021 and will present some of its brightest talent in this rare local performance.

Roast and Roll, Banbridge Games Cafe, 47a Church Street, Banbridge, BT32 4AA

Friday, 19 June 2026 – 7.30pm-8.30pm

Funfair in Solitude Park | Saturday 20 June

Colourful promotional graphic for “The Wonderful Funfair” featuring fireworks, bright neon fairground rides, and the text “All the fun of the fair” and “Roll up! Roll up!”.

Enjoy the funfair in Solitude Park with a selection of rides and attractions for all ages, running from 12 noon to 9pm. The perfect addition to your BuskFest day, filled with excitement, energy and entertainment.

Live Music Trail

Buskfest Live Music Trail

BuskFest is delighted to introduce a brand new Live Music Trail to celebrate this year’s festival. Join us in Banbridge and enjoy a fantastic line-up of musicians performing across a range of local venues, each bringing their own unique sound and atmosphere.

All performances are free to attend, so come along and soak up the music!

The Live Music Trail runs from Friday 19 June to Sunday 21 June. See the full programme below:

Friday 19 June

Time	Venue	Act
6pm – 9pm	Safari Grill	Live Music
9pm	AJ Quinn / The Detroit	DJ Glover
9:30pm	Harry’s Bar	Stephen Hamilton

Saturday 20 June

Time	Venue	Act
6pm – 8:30pm	Safari Grill	Rich Wilson
8pm	A J Quinn / The Detroit – Main Bar	Whiskey Business
9pm	A J Quinn / The Detroit – Lounge	DJ Glover
9pm	Safari Grill	DJ Aldo
9pm	Downshire Arms Hotel – Bar	Stephen Cairns
9pm	Downshire Arms Hotel – Beer Garden	DJ Suitor
9pm	Downshire Arms Hotel – Cellar Bar	DJ Callum
9pm	Harry’s Bar	Calvin

Sunday 21 June

Time	Venue	Act
7pm	Harry’s Bar	Ciaran McGuiness

Special Offers

Hawthorn Hideaways

Modern glamping pod and outdoor seating area with wooden pergolas and picnic bench on a gravel site.

Hot Tub Package – Unlimited Private Hot Tub under the stars.

Stay in your very own luxury pod with snack basket and Smore kit. Free WiFi, games room, garden games, firepit, BBQ and more.

Valid from 19 June to 21 June 2026.

More Info

Studio Brew by Amavi

Promotional graphic for BuskFest special offer at Brew Studio by Amavi featuring a red electric guitar and bold text reading “Stage Side Special.”

Stage Side Special – BuskFest Food and Drink Offer

Enjoy any food item and drink for just £7 at Studio Brew by Amavi. The perfect BuskFest pit stop close to all the action.

Valid on Saturday 20 June 2026 only.

More Info

Game of Thrones Studio Tour

20% Off Studio Tour – Step into the world of Game of Thrones.

Enjoy 20% off general admission when you book before 27 June using the code BUSKFEST. Redeem your visit for any remaining date in 2026.

Valid until Saturday 27 June 2026.

More Info

Safari Grill, Banbridge

Promotional poster for Banbridge BuskFest at Safari Grill advertising food specials, including a burger, BBQ, and afterparty, with timings for lunch, evening, and late night on Saturday 20th June.

BuskFest Lunch Offer & Karaoke Afterparty

Enjoy the Busk Burger lunch offer from 11.45am to 3.45pm, followed by Steak Night with live music and a BuskFest karaoke afterparty with DJ, cocktails and more.

Saturday 20 June 2026.

More Info

New Look, Banbridge

Promotional graphic for New Look offering £10 off when spending £50 or more, with terms and conditions noted.

Save £10 at New Look – BuskFest special offer

Enjoy £10 off when you spend £50 or more in store at New Look in Banbridge. A perfect fashion stop to add to your plans during BuskFest.

Available in store only on Saturday 20 June 2026.

Blend & Batch

Close-up of a loaded beef burger with locally sourced Quail’s Butcher beef, double American cheese, dill pickles in a brioche bap, topped with crispy onions and served over stroganoff sauce with fries.

Stroganoff Smashburger – BuskFest special

Locally supplied beef from Quail’s Butcher, with double American cheese, homemade dill pickles in a toasted brioche bap, served over stroganoff sauce with French fries.

Available on Saturday 20 June 2026.

Getting Here

It couldn’t be easier to get to Banbridge, conveniently located just off the main A1 Belfast / Dublin route, 12 miles from Newry and 22 miles from Belfast. The town centre is easily accessible by car and public transport from Northern Ireland and the South of Ireland.

Transport
Public transport is available to and from Banbridge from across N.I and ROI. To help plan your route see Translink website. The bus station is located on Kenlis Street which is a short walk to the town centre and Buskfest.

Banbridge town centre map

For information on parking, toilets and street locations please refer to the Banbridge map which is available here

Contact Us

If you wish to contact the BuskFest team please email buskfest@armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk and a member of the team will get back to you.

2025 Winners

Overall Winner 2025

4AM Club comprising Jack Lockhart, Luke Bell, Daniel Coulter and Paidi Muldoon.

Best Individual

Cellofella – Oliver Barron
Presented by the Lord Mayor Alderman Stephen Moutray and Ralph McLean.

Best Band

FRANK comprising Sebastien Gaschard, Josselin Fleury and Elise Lounici presented with their award by Ralph McLean, BBC Radio Ulster and Wendy Shaw and Niall Totten, AMMA Centre

Best Junior

Sarah Reynolds presented by Ralph McLean BBC Radio Ulster and Connell McBride, Carolyn Mathers, Snow Water . This award is sponsored by The Game of Thrones Studio Tour.

Best Performance

Daniel and the Lion – Daniel Duke and Ross McLoughlin pictured with Ralph McClean, BBC Radio Ulster and Michael Donaghy, Banbridge Chamber of Commerce. Banbridge Chamber of Commerce sponsor this award.

Spirit of Buskfest

Spirit of Buskfest sponsored by The Boulevard and awarded to Banbridge Ukes.