Dunfanaghy Festivals
Dunfanaghy Festivals – Dunfanaghy is a seaside village located on the shores of Sheephaven Bay in north West County Donegal. With Muckish Mountain as a dramatic backdrop Dunfanaghy lies at the entrance to the spectacular Horn Head Peninsula and is surrounded by beautiful beaches. The Blue Flag Killahoey Beach stretches over 2 miles from the centre of the village towards Portnablagh. The wonderful Dunfanaghy Golf links runs along the length of this beach.
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There are events and festival throughout the year in Dunfanaghy to keep the visitor entertained. These include:-
- The St Patrick’s Day Parade
- The Dunfanaghy Seafood Festival
- The Dunfanaghy August Fair
- The Dunfanaghy Jazz & Blues Festival
- Dunfanaghy Halloween Madness
St Patrick’s Day
Each year Dunfanaghy village gets into the St Patrick’s Day spirit with a host of events and a colourful parade. The main event, the ever popular parade, makes its way around the village ending up in the square where everyone enjoys the carnival like atmosphere
Dunfanaghy Seafood Festival
The Dunfanaghy Seafood Festival is a four day event centered on the promotion of local fresh seafood. The festival is usually held in May each year and activities include street performers,fireworks display, carnival bands, seafood barbeques, live music, raft race, craftstalls, kids entertainment, crab dressing demonstration and kite surfing. There is something for all the family in this beautiful seaside village in north west Donegal
Dunfanaghy August Fair
The Dunfanghy August Fair is a long established community based festival that has been in existence for more than 20 years. The week long festival includes a wide variety of events and entertainment for all the family . It is a major attraction to holidaymakers who visit Dunfanaghy and the Sheephaven Bay area during the summer months.
The festival programme varies from year to year but typically will include the following events:- sheepdog trials, ceili night, crowning of the August Fair Queen and King, table quiz, car treasure hunt, grand parade of floats, children’s fancy dress, pony & trap rides, It’s a Knockout, tug of war and clay pigeon shooting. The festival culminates in the Annual Dunfanaghy “Fair Day” in John Stewart’s Field at Figart on the August Bank Holiday Monday.
Dunfanaghy Jazz & Blues Festival
Dunfanaghy Jazz & Blues Festival arrived on the festival scene in 2008 and is proving more popular with each passing year. The festival is usually held over a long weekend in early September. The music sessions are held throughout the town – in all the pubs, hotels, cafes and the Workhouse.
Some of the acts in recent years have included the Grainne Duffy Band, the Paul Buckley Band, the Mark Black Band, The Beekeepers and The Men That Knew Too Much. The 2010 festival included a Jazz & Blues Singing Class, a “SwingJazz” Dance Class and a Young People’s Jazz Workshop.
W: www.dunfanaghyjazzandblues.com
Dunfanaghy Halloween Madness Festival
The Halloween Madness Festival takes place on the last weekend in October each year, A centrepiece of the festival is a major Torchlight Procession through the village followed by a Firework Extravaganza on the Pier
A number of events take place throughout the weekend including kids surfing at Marble Hill beach, Halloween costume making, a Kids Fancy Dress Halloween Disco, scary storytelling, live music in the pubs and hotels, Pumpkin Making in the Workhouse and a Halloween Fancy Dress Party.
For holiday cottage accommodation in Dunfanaghy area, use the links below