06/11/2026
Carlow County Council is delighted to announce the launch of Jinglefest 2026, an exciting new county-wide Christmas programme that will bring festive fun, family experiences, live entertainment and laughter to communities across Carlow this holiday season.
Jinglefest represents a fresh and ambitious celebration of Christmas in County Carlow, featuring three distinct programme strands designed to ensure there is truly something for everyone. Running from late November through December, Jinglefest will combine a spectacular town centre celebration, family-focused festive experiences, and a unique countywide comedy festival featuring some of Ireland's best-known comedians and performers.
Three Festivals in One
At the heart of the programme is Jinglefest Live, a major free public event taking place on Saturday, 28 November at Carlow Town Hall Car Park. The event will feature chart-topping tribute acts ‘Smash Hits’ and ‘Turf Raves’, Santa's arrival to Carlow, festive market stalls, the official switching on of Carlow's Christmas lights and a spectacular ‘Fireworks on the Barrow’ display, creating an unforgettable start to the festive season.
The second strand, Jinglefest Fringe, focuses on family-friendly festive experiences across the county. Highlights include the popular Santa Bus visiting Tullow and Bagenalstown, Santa at Carlow Library, Santa's visits to local town centres and a range of festive library events designed to create magical Christmas memories for families and young children. The full programme of Jinglefest Fringe be announced during November 2026.
Completing the programme is Jinglefest Comedy, a unique comedy festival featuring 16 shows across multiple venues throughout the county. The line-up includes household names such as Ardal O'Hanlon, Karl Spain, John Colleary, Sharon Mannion, Anna Clifford, Colm O'Regan, along with a diverse range of comedy, improvisation and entertainment events taking place in Carlow Town, Tullow, Bagenalstown and beyond.
Full details and event line-up at https://www.localenterprise.ie/carlow/news/carlow-county-council-launches-jinglefest-2026.html
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