Thousands Enjoy Sunshine And Fun At The 2025 Ould Lammas Fair In Ballycastle

The 2025 Lammas Fair was nothing short of spectacular, once again providing another fantastic bank holiday weekend of social gatherings and a true celebration of tradition.

Throughout the fair, both locals and visitors alike flocked to the charming seaside town of Ballycastle, where four days of festivities brought family fun, music and laughter to every corner.

Dating back over 400 years The Ould Lammas Fair has attracted hundreds of thousands of people over the years. However, the 2025 Fair saw record crowds in excess of a hundred thousand over the bank holiday weekend – all eager to sample the unique fair atmosphere; this year’s jam-packed programme included the popular heavy horse show, dog agility display, trading stalls and the much-loved children’s activities.

The regeneration of the new Ballycastle Leisure Centre on Quay Road brought exciting new changes to this years Ould Lammas Fair, with a fresh new layout that introduced new features and attractions at the Seafront for all who attended. The vibrant new setting gave a modern twist while keeping its much-loved traditions alive. Visitors delighted in the lively atmosphere whilst discovering more space to explore in the sunshine.

Saturday saw record crowds attending for the first day of the fair, with shops and cafes across town reporting an increase in trade. The evening ended with a spectacular fireworks display lit the night sky above the marina, dazzling the crowds with colour and delight and live entertainment from Jason Hughes and Neil McClelland from Downtown Radio.

Over the weekend the tradition remained with hundreds of stalls lining Ballycastle’s streets, complimented by an array of local artisans showcasing their handcrafted products at the Naturally North Coast & Glens Artisan Market at the Seafront. A new addition for 2025 welcomed the Street Food Village offering local delicacies and delicious dishes proving a big hit with visitors.

The entertainment programme featured many traditional and contemporary live musicians from Saturday through to Tuesday, offering something to suit everyone’s taste. The ever-popular Sunday evening concert in the Diamond was headlined by Irish Dance music band Clada and trailblazing Irish Folk powerhouse, Wolfhound.

In an exciting addition to the Monday entertainment lineup, BBC Radio Ulster broadcast live from the Seafront with Hugo Duncan and special guests. Toes were tapping along to the sounds of local country music stars.

One of the event’s most historic traditions – the horse-trading area returned to Fairhill Street, with huge numbers of visitors enjoying the atmosphere on Monday and Tuesday. Farrier displays and pony rides were star attractions. The relocation of the animal petting farm to Clare Street proved a hit with the kids and adults alike.

For visitors seeking a calmer experience, quite time activities were held on Monday and Tuesday. Families enjoyed hands on activities such as circus skills, alongside favourites such as the ever-popular kids farm and the bubble bike.

Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Oliver McMullan, who attended the event said: “The Ould Lammas Fair has once again proven to be a key event in Council’s summer programme. This year’s fair was a tremendous success, with huge crowds enjoying the entertainment across all four days.

“I was delighted to participate in presenting awards for the heavy horse show on Saturday, and I was pleased to meet many of you over the weekend.

“Thank you to everyone who made their way to Ballycastle for this year’s Ould Lammas Fair and to those involved in the preparation and planning of the event. I hope you experienced the world class welcome, traditions and wide variety of produce that Ballycastle and the Causeway Coast and Glens are renowned for.”

A special recognition of thanks goes to Council’s Events team for once again putting together a fantastic entertainment programme, the Estates and Operations team for the smooth set up and take down of the event.  The cleansing carried out extensive clean-up operations quickly and efficiently over the duration of the fair, especially after the event finished on Tuesday evening.