This evening’s (Thursday) Boyle Arts Festival opening parade promises to be a vibrant celebration of creativity and community, filled with new and exciting visual delights showcasing the artistic expression joy of the community.
This year’s opening event is supported by the Roscommon County Council Creative Ireland Programme, an all-of-government initiative that places creativity at the centre of public policy.
The opening event for Boyle Arts Festival transforms the streets of Boyle into a living artwork inspired by the festival theme, Visual Threads. Combining music, movement, costume, opera and large-scale visual spectacle, the processional performance weaves together over 60 children, community groups, artists and musicians in a vibrant celebration of creativity and connection.
Developed through workshops in the lead-up to the festival, participants will perform a specially learned operatic chorus in collaboration with the Irish National Opera, alongside choreographed movement by Trisha McDermott of the McDermott Dance School and costume by Carol Daly, with striking puppets created by Corlann. The visual movement culminates at King House with a collective public performance. to officially launch the 2026 festival programme.
The procession will commence from the Crescent at 7pm, making its journey down Bridge Street and Main Street, ending at King House. The Festival committee encourage people from across the region to come along, line the streets of Boyle, cheer on the children and be part of this unique community celebration as it makes its way through the town before culminating in the official launch of the festival at King House by Mary Coughlan.
Motorists travelling through Boyle on Thursday evening should note that temporary traffic restrictions will be in place along The Crescent, Elphin Street, Bridge Street, Main Street and Military Road from 7pm to 7.45pm.
Later on Thursday night Pete Higgins will perform in Patrick’s Well, while all exhibitions will be open for evening viewing.
