Donegal Delights at Oakfest 2018
In the northern tip of the country, the historical town of Raphoe will play host to a very special festival. On Sat 25th and Sun 26th August, Oakfield Park will be celebrating the end of the summer in style. Oakfest 2018 promises to be a weekend not to be missed. And best of all, this is a family friendly event from 11am-8pm each day. So pack up the children and head north for a weekend of music, food and fun.
Musical magic
The main stage will have some of the top musical acts in the country. Saturday 25th has an incredible line-up in store. Ryan Sheridan is one of Ireland’s best singer-songwriters and with his acoustic guitar, his live shows are the stuff of legends. Mark Black and the Trips, ROE and Chelsey Chambers will also be setting the scene on Saturday afternoon.
The main event will be headlined by the Four of Us, a band who have been delighting Irish audiences for over 25 years. Playing some of their biggest hits, including Mary, Drag My Bad Name Down, and She Hits Me, as well as treating us to their latest album Sugar Island, this will be one of the gigs of the summer.
On Sunday 26th the musical delights continue. Cronin will open proceedings, taking to the stage at 1.45pm. Local heroes In Their Thousands are a Donegal band who are making waves all over the world, Little Hours have been playing some of the biggest festivals across Europe, while Katie Laffan has been voted Best New Artist by The Ticket.
Hermitage Green will bring the festival to a close on Sunday night. This Irish acoustic folk rock band has been selling out concerts all over the world.
Family fun
While the music will be the main event, there will also be loads of activities for the little ones. For anyone who has been practising their floss for the summer months, there will be a chance to showcase their talents at the mini disco. There will be arts and crafts for the artistic children, and folklore and storytelling for the literary ones. And with face-painting, puppets, and nature trails they will be kept entertained the whole weekend. One of the main attractions in Oakfield Park at any time of the year is the 4.5 km narrow gauge railway, which explores the gardens. There isn’t a child in the country who doesn’t love a train (and lots of grownups too!).
On the fringe
As well as the musical highlights of the weekend, there are so many other attractions to see and do. Take advantage of the location in one of the top gardens in Ireland. Sit back and enjoy jazz in the garden. Test your navigational skills in the hedge maze. Tap your toes to traditional music on the train. And for the foodies amongst you, there will be a chance to sample artisan delights from local food producers.
For details and tickets, please contact the organisers here. All events were correct at time of publication, but please be sure to confirm with organisers before you travel. For more inspiration about what’s on close to you be sure to check www.inspireme.ie.
