Ballina gets ready for another amazing Heritage Day

The past will come to life on the streets of Ballina for National Heritage Day during the 2026 Salmon Festival.

A beloved annual tradition, Heritage Day will take place on Wednesday, July 15th, and is truly a feast for the senses as the sights and sounds of the past are revived for a day-long celebration of history, culture, music and heritage.

Preparations are almost complete to transform the streets of the town into a celebration of Ireland’s rich heritage, bringing together more than 100 traditional crafts and skills for a fun day out for all ages.

Many of these crafts were once widely practiced but are now less commonly seen due to modern, industrial-scale practices. Heritage Day revives these crafts and it is a brilliant opportunity to reminisce on how things used to be, while also introducing the new generation to what life was like before smartphones.

There is a unique experience in Heritage Day for everyone. On the day you’ll be able to experience a wide variety of traditional skills and crafts demonstrations and workshops including blacksmithing, iron and bronze smelting, woodturning, green woodworking, basket weaving, copper smithing, pottery, wool crafts, thatching, stone masonry, rope making, artwork, bee keeping, candle making, traditional building techniques, vintage vehicles and farm equipment, miniature farm exhibits, entertainment and much more.

Attendees are encouraged to dress for the occasion and wear traditional clothing such as tweed jackets or flat caps. Costumes are available from the Ballina Costume Company on Kevin Barry Street with family deals and Heritage Day offers available.

Heritage Day is always the best attended event of the Ballina Salmon Festival and has been attracting tens of thousands of people each year to the North Mayo town since it was first staged in the early 1990s. It is a day that's not to be missed so make sure to get to Ballina in plenty of time to avoid the inevitable tailbacks coming into the town. You don't want to be stuck in your car for Heritage Day!