Westmeath artists set to light up Longford festival 2026

It may be the Longford Lights Festival but there is plenty of Westmeath involvement in Ireland’s largest community-based light festival. The 2026 iteration of the arts gathering returns to Connolly Barracks, Longford Town from Thursday, February 19 to Sunday, February 22.

Now in its fifth and final year the festival features a trail of illuminated art and events that will inspire visitors. Hosted by Longford County Council and Mide Arts Group this gathering will bring together families and friends of all ages to get together and explore the captivating art installations that transform Longford’s county town.

“I'm the stage manager at Longford Lights this year,” Westmeath native Fiona McGinty told the Examiner in the run up to the event, “I'll be looking after the performers. I got involved last year because of a group called Taipeis – Interwoven Threads, a partnership project with Creative Ireland Longford-Westmeath, that celebrated the stories of emigrants through art making. We work with immigrants in Westmeath and in Longford.”

This year’s festival has a fairly packed programme. Ireland’s first ever Nighttime Illuminated Bicycle Parade- ‘Glow on the Go’ will see artist Conor McCague collaborate with the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Heartland Wheelers Cycling Club to create a nighttime parade.

Special bicycle creations called ‘Frankenstein Bicycles’ will be made for the event and illuminated with led lights and lanterns.

Other highlights include ‘The Glowing Flock’ by Harveen Chintamunee, an illuminated performance featuring a glowing shepherd, and the Sky Streamers Community Project will see four hundred lantern windsocks shimmer above the Connolly Barracks parade ground.

The 35 art installations made from thousands of lights will draw visitors from all across the Midlands like moths: “Last year we were invited as Taipeis to create an installation for Longford Lights. They invited us back this year. They knew about my experience in theatre and asked me to be the stage manager for the performers. Longford Lights is such an amazing piece of art in itself, it's massive in its scope,” Fiona said.

The inclusive nature of the festival is part of the attraction: “It's completely community based as well. There are professional artists involved but they work with local community groups, including our immigrant group,” the stage manager explained.

Westmeath also provides the soundtrack to the three day gathering: “The Cronin brothers do all the music soundscapes for Longford Lights and have done from the beginning. John Cronin and Mick Cronin have created a beautiful soundscape for the event.

“They work with all the primary schools where they record all the children's voices about their wishes and hopes and dreams. That will be broadcast on the walk through the installation. It's beautiful, really beautiful.”

Dancers from this side of the border will participate in a piece designed by Shawbrooke Dance: “This is a community dance piece by Anica Dawson's Shawbrook Dance involving participants from Westmeath and Longford. Anica is a famous choreographer and she set up Longford Community Dance especially for Longford Lights.

“They'll be performing on Friday and Saturday night with a mixture of local people dancing, some for the first time. They will be mixed in with professional dancers and it'll be spectacular.”

The festival is organised by Longford County Council in partnership with Mide Arts Group, with funding also provided by The Arts Council, Creative Ireland and Longford Tourism. More than 7,000 visitors came from across the country to attend the 2025 festival, which featured 32 artists and 43 schools and community organisations involved.

Tickets for Longford Lights 2026 festival are on sale on LongfordLights.ie, through Ticket Tailor and Longford Arts Service. Tickets are €5 each.