Heart of the Glens Festival

The Heart of the Glens Festival has been held every August since 1990 in Cushendall, and has been popular with locals and holiday makers alike. The nine day festival is jampacked with activities for all ages, including traditional and contemporary music, local comedy, athletic events for all ages, and arts and crafts, treasure hunts, fancy dress nights for the whole town and world record breaking traditional street dances.

So if you fancy a bit of culture and craic, here are some of the festival highlights:

The Lurig Challenge Run

If you're up for a challenge then this is for you, a 3.5 mile run climbing to the 1150ft summit of Lurig mountain, open to all, but not for the faint hearted.

Friday Night Theme Night

Friday night sees the village come alive, and hundreds dress up for what must be one of the biggest fancy dress parties in Ireland. Hollywood, The 1920’s, 1950’s, an Irish Fair and cowboys and Indians are some of the past themes. Local businesses and the Heart of the Glens Festival Committee do a great job of decorating the street to match the theme.

Ireland's Longest Waves of Tory

The last night of the Heart of the Glens Festival sees a huge street party with live music and entertainment. Past festivals have broke world records for the largest street dance in the world, with locals and visitors dancing the ‘Waves of Tory’.

Nine Glens Vintage Day

A family fun day including a of vintage machinery rally, toy tractor trials, a threshing demonstration, and bouncy castles and large inflatable slides, plus live music all Day.

Glens of Antrim Food Fair and Craft Fair

A celebration of local food, with plenty of bargains and beautiful food from Cushendall and surrounding Antrim Causeway Coast

Traditional Storytelling

World famous Glens storyteller Liz Weir and locals have organised fantastic traditional tales events and story telling workshops, great fun for the young at heart.

Traditional Music

As well as ad hoc sessions at Jonny Joe's, there's a chance to see the best young and old traditional musicians at various events in the evenings. There's some great contemporary and traditional Irish acts on at the Lurig, the Glen's Hotel, the Golf Club and Central Bar

Every Heart of the Glens Festival is different!

The Heart of the Glens Festival Committee do a fantastic job every year, thinking of new events and keeping the traditional favourites fresh and fun. There are many more regular events, including a country sports competition (think “It's a Knockout, for those that can remember that far back), for local businesses and sporting clubs, story telling, arts and drama workshops and an opening parade.