MPI Artists Celebrates Fifth Year as Festival Directors of Púca Festival 2026

Púca Festival 2026 Returns to County Meath, Celebrating Ireland as the Authentic Home of Halloween Púca Festival 2026.

The festival takes place from the 29th of October to the 1st of November 2026. Bringing four days of celebration to the historic towns of Trim and Athboy in County Meath.

MPI Artists is delighted to return for a fifth year as Festival Director of Púca Festival, working in partnership with Fáilte Ireland and Meath County Council to deliver one of Ireland’s most distinctive cultural festivals.

Taking place from Thursday, 29 October to Sunday, 1 November 2026, Púca Festival returns to Trim and Athboy, County Meath, bringing together some of Ireland’s leading musicians, comedians, performers, storytellers, artists and craftspeople for four days and nights celebrating the ancient traditions of Samhain.

For MPI Artists, the festival represents an extraordinary opportunity to combine large scale live entertainment with Ireland’s cultural heritage, creating a contemporary festival experience firmly rooted in the landscape and stories of the Boyne Valley.

Púca, pronounced poo kah, brings old and new traditions together through music, comedy, fire, spectacle, storytelling, food, folklore and immersive experiences, all less than an hour from Dublin.

At the heart of the festival are two important locations. The heritage town of Trim becomes a centre for live entertainment, spectacle and the Púca Procession, while Athboy connects visitors with Tlachtga, also known as the Hill of Ward, where Ireland’s ancestors gathered to mark Samhain more than 2,000 years ago.

Five Years of Púca Festival

Now entering our fifth year managing Púca Festival, it has been incredibly rewarding to see the event continue to grow and develop.

Each year, the challenge is to build a programme that respects the significance of Samhain while also creating an exciting festival for today’s audiences. Music, comedy and entertainment sit alongside storytelling, heritage, ceremony, local food, craft and immersive experiences, giving visitors many different ways to discover the traditions behind Halloween.

The 2026 theme, Between Worlds, draws inspiration from Samhain as a time of transition, when the boundaries between old and new, light and dark, past and present were believed to blur.

Across four days, audiences will be invited to experience these ideas through live performance, ceremony, storytelling, workshops, food and shared celebration.

A Major Live Music and Comedy Programme

Live entertainment will once again be a major part of Púca Festival 2026, with headline performances taking place under the Púca Big Top in Trim across Halloween weekend.

The programme announced to date includes The Coronas, Róisín O, Hothouse Flowers, Jerry Fish, Qween and The Dublin Gospel Choir, John Colleary and Shane Daniel Byrne.

The festival has also announced a huge Halloween night on Saturday, 31 October, when The Whistlin’ Donkeys headline the Púca Big Top, joined by High Stool Prophets, Mark McCabe and special guest Janet Devlin.

From contemporary Irish music and folk to comedy, dance favourites and big singalong moments, the programme reflects the breadth of Irish entertainment and the atmosphere that has become such an important part of Púca Festival.

Further artists and programme announcements will continue in the lead up to the festival.

The Púca Procession in Trim

One of the defining moments of Púca Festival returns to Trim on Friday, 30 October.

The Púca Procession: The Gathering of the Spirits will bring outdoor theatre, street performance, music and spectacle into the heart of the town.

Inspired by Samhain lore, nature, ancestry and Ireland’s connection to the land, the procession brings otherworldly characters and shape shifting spirits to life as darkness falls over Trim.

Covered Grandstand Seating will also allow visitors to enjoy this major festival spectacle from a dedicated viewing area.

Following the procession, the evening continues with fire and spectacle against the dramatic backdrop of Trim Castle.

Lighting of the Samhain Fire in Athboy

On Saturday, 31 October, attention turns to Athboy for one of the most important moments of the festival, the Lighting of the Samhain Fire.

Ancient manuscripts identify nearby Tlachtga, the Hill of Ward, as one of Ireland’s great gathering places at Samhain.

As evening falls, visitors will gather at the Fair Green in Athboy for a ceremonial fire event honouring ancestors and reflecting the traditions associated with the beginning of winter.

The ceremony connects the ancient landscapes of Tlachtga, Tara, Loughcrew, Tailteann and Uisneach through the symbolism of the Púca flame.

Live music and fire performance will accompany the ceremony, creating a powerful connection between Ireland’s ancient traditions and their place within contemporary culture.

Feasting at Púca Festival

Food has always been central to Samhain. Traditionally, the festival marked the end of the harvest season, a time for communities to gather, share food and prepare for winter.

Púca Festival continues this tradition through its food programme and its largest ever Harvest Market, where visitors can discover local produce, Irish food, craft and seasonal favourites.

Traditional flavours including barmbrack, colcannon and baked apples help connect the modern festival with customs that have been passed through generations.

The Púca Festival Samhain Banquet also returns to the Darnley Lodge Hotel in Athboy on 30 and 31 October, offering an evening of traditional Irish food, music and dance.

For something a little different, Craicly Stories and the Long Table Lunch will take place on both 30 and 31 October, combining food, Irish ghost stories, conversation and Samhain traditions around a shared table.

Myth, Mischief and Immersive Experiences

Away from the headline stages, Púca Festival offers a wide programme of activities across Trim and Athboy.

Beyond the Veil: The Púca Trail takes visitors on an immersive experience inspired by the spirits and stories of Irish folklore.

The Samhain Circus returns with a spectacular programme of circus performance, while Craicly Stories brings the Irish storytelling tradition to life through tales of folklore, ghosts and the supernatural.

Visitors can also explore the landscape itself through Foraging Tours and Heritage Tours of Tlachtga, the Hill of Ward, learning more about the history and natural environment that shaped the Samhain tradition.

New for 2026 is the Tree Mythology, Ogham & Woodturning Experience, exploring the folklore attached to Ireland’s native trees, the ancient Ogham alphabet and the traditional craft of woodturning through live demonstration.

A dedicated programme of talks and workshops will offer further opportunities to explore Irish folklore, ritual, craft and culture throughout the festival.

Supporting Local Communities and Sustainability

Púca Festival is deeply connected to the communities of Trim, Athboy and the wider Boyne Valley.

Local businesses, food producers, craftspeople, performers, historians and storytellers all play an important role in creating the festival experience.

Sustainability also remains central to the development of Púca Festival. The festival incorporates the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, helping to establish clear targets around responsible event delivery and encouraging visitors, suppliers and partners to play their part.

Public transport and festival transport options will also help visitors travel to and between the festival hubs. Púca Festival coaches will operate from locations including Dublin, Drogheda, Navan, Cavan, Kildare, Mullingar and Kells, together with a regular shuttle service connecting Trim and Athboy.

Looking Ahead to Púca Festival 2026

For everyone at MPI Artists, reaching our fifth year as Festival Director of Púca Festival is a milestone we are very proud of.

Púca is unlike any other project. It brings together entertainment, heritage, community and creativity within a landscape that has a genuine connection to the origins of Samhain.

Our aim for 2026 is to continue building on what audiences have responded to over the past four festivals, while introducing new performances, new experiences and new ways of telling the story of Ireland as the authentic home of Halloween.

With four days of music, comedy, fire, circus, storytelling, feasting, heritage, craft and spectacle, Púca Festival 2026 is shaping up to be another remarkable celebration in County Meath.

About Fáilte Ireland  

As the National Tourism Development Authority, Fáilte Ireland’s role is to support the long-term sustainable growth in the economic, social, cultural, and environmental contribution of tourism to Ireland. Tourism is of critical importance to the national economy and to regional development and employment. Pre-coronavirus, the sector generated revenue of €7.5billion annually and supported 260,000 jobs nationwide while contributing €1.7billion to the Exchequer.   We work in partnership with Government, State agencies, Local Authorities, representative groups and industry, to develop tourism across Ireland by creating destination development plans and networks, investing in infrastructure, activities, visitor attractions and festivals.  Fáilte Ireland also provides consumer and buyer insights, mentoring, business supports and training programmes and buyer platforms to help tourism businesses innovate and grow. In addition, Fáilte Ireland supports Business Tourism, managing the bidding for and securing of larger conferences, meetings and events to be hosted in Ireland. We are also responsible for domestic holiday marketing across four regional experience brands: Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s Ancient East, Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands and Dublin. Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority, was established in 2003 to guide and promote tourism as a leading indigenous component of the Irish economy. www.failteireland.ie    

The meaning of Púca  

At ancient new year - when the light fades and the veil between worlds thins - the mischievous spirit Púca (pronounced poo-kuh) awakens. A shape-shifter from Celtic folklore, Púca transforms the world around her, roaming freely and altering the fortunes of those she encounters.  

The Púca Festival immerses visitors in the true, ancient spirit of Halloween with four days of music, myth, food, fire, and spectacle in Ireland’s Ancient East.  

Púca Festival Overview  

Púca is an authentic, immersive, spectacular, and otherworldly festival, celebrating Ireland as the original birthplace of Halloween. Working in partnership with Irish artists, seanchaí storytellers, and the local community Púca will showcase the best in contemporary Irish music, spectacle, and performance, over four spectacular days and nights full of music, myth, food, folklore, fire, feasting, and merriment in the country where Halloween began. Vibrant, fun, and contemporary in feel but strongly rooted in tradition, Púca will take place in festival hubs Trim and Athboy in County Meath, from Thursday, 29 October to Sunday, 1 November 2026. ( Subject to License)    

Púca Festival has been developed by Fáilte Ireland (the National Tourism Development Authority of Ireland), in partnership with Meath County Council, to celebrate Ireland as the birthplace of Halloween and to tell the origin story of Samhain or ‘Summer’s End’.    

In Irish and Celtic traditions Samhain is the end of the harvest season, when all the crops have been picked and stored for the ‘New Year’. This was historically a time of celebration, involving lighting fires, feasting on the crops of the harvest, music, gathering, and storytelling. A familiar character in Ireland's narrative of Halloween, Púca (pronounced poo-kuh) is a shape-shifting character from Celtic folklore that comes alive at ancient new year to roam the night and change the fortunes of those that cross it.    

The festival will reopen the pathways of reflection and celebration carved out by travellers over 2,000 years ago, capturing the original and authentic spirit of Samhain. Púca (pronounced poo-kuh) is a character from Celtic folklore, that comes alive; a shape-shifting spirit, roaming the night and changing the fortunes of those that cross them, at ancient new year when light turns to dark, the veil between realities draws thin, rules can be broken, and the spirits move between worlds.   

Festival Hubs  

Trim, Co. Meath  A heritage town alive with four nights of supernatural events, music, comedy, and Halloween spectacle set against the stunning backdrop of Trim Castle.  

Athboy, Co. Meath  Steeped in tradition, Athboy is the site of the ancient Samhain gathering at Tlachtga (pronounced Clackda) or The Hill of Ward.   

For programme announcements, tickets and festival information, visit HERE

Púca Festival is developed by Fáilte Ireland in partnership with Meath County Council and is subject to licence.