Be part of BuskFest!
Buskfest 2025 will take place on Saturday, 14th June 2025.
See also BuskFest on social media for updates.
2025 event information
Please note event prizes etc may vary year on year. However the confirmed prizes for 2025 are as follows:
-~- Prize Pot — £3500 -~- |
£1000 |
Overall Winner
The overall winner will perform at the Eats and Beats Festival, Newcastle which takes place from 6-7th September |
open to all ages |
£500 |
Best Band
The AmmA Centre Armagh will offer a recording session in its professional recording studio. |
open to all ages |
£500 |
Best Individual
The winner of this category will perform at Stendhal Festival, Limavady on the evening of Friday 4th July. |
age 18+ only |
£500 |
Best Junior
Sponsored by The Game of Thrones Studio Tour
Oh Yeah Music Centre Belfast will offer a slot at a Volume Control Gig along with a music mentoring session. |
age 17 years & under only |
£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 |
More about the Eats and Beats Festival
The Eats and Beats Festival is a vibrant, free weekend celebration of food, music, and community, set against the stunning backdrop of the Mourne Mountains in Newcastle, County Down. Scheduled for Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 September 2025, the festival offers a rich tapestry of local flavors and diverse musical performances.
The festival features two dynamic stages—Homegrown and World—showcasing an eclectic mix of local and international artists. Attendees can enjoy performances from acts such as Brian Kennedy, Paddy Casey, The Skallions, Stephen Rafferty, and Clare Sands.
Food enthusiasts can indulge in a diverse selection of locally crafted cheeses, baked goods, gourmet street food, and fresh seafood. The festival will also host live cookery demonstrations by renowned chefs, including TV chef Jenny Bristow and Great British Menu chefs Paul Cunningham and Melissa McCabe.
Please see this link for more info.
2025 Event Information as a reference guide
-~- Busking Competition -~- |
Registration and Pitch allocation: |
Registration Point, Old Town Hall, Scarva Street, Banbridge: 11.30am-1pm |
Busking Competition |
Banbridge Town Centre: 2.00pm – 5.00pm |
Judging |
This will be done anonymously: 2.00pm – 5.00pm |
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.