Forest Fest is the festival trading in older bands from the 80s and 90s that takes place in Bee’s Wing Farm, Emo Village in Co. Laois next year – Friday July 24th – Sunday July 26th 2026.
Having perviously announced The Charlatans, Echo & The Bunnymen, Madness and Deacon Blue as main artists.
Today Forest Fest added 23 new acts including James – the English alternative rock bands known for hits including ‘Laid’, ‘Sit Down’ and ‘Getting Away With It’ – as the Saturday night headliners along with chart-topping Irish rock band The Coronas; Derry punk originals The Undertones; cult punk-pop outfit The Sultans of Ping; Kilkenny alt-metal band Kerbdog; 2-tone ska veterans Bad Manners; indie-rock favourites Power of Dreams, who will play their first show together in 15 years; New York genre-mixers Fun Lovin’ Criminals (Huey Morgan doesn’t play with them); influential UK outfit The Wedding Present; art-pop collective A House Is Dead; electronic live act King Kong Company; indie-pop group HamsandwicH; ex–The Jam musician Bruce Foxton; former Stranglers frontman Hugh Cornwell; Wexford rock band Cry Before Dawn; rising punk artist Aoife Destruction; Smiths tribute act These Charming Men; vocalist Jack L; garage-rock trio The Minutes; Queen tribute Qween, joined by the Dublin Gospel Choir; indie-pop collective Dylan Flynn and The Dead Poets; and emerging indie-rock band Thanks Mom.
The full poster lineup above breaks down the festival by day.
Early Bird tickets are on sale now at €210 for a weekend ticket, with single day ticket options available. Special family, adolescent and single parent family tickets are available. Children under 12 go free with a parent or guardian over the age of 18. Campervan, caravan and camping tickets sold separately.
Tickets are available from forestfest.ie and are subject to booking fees.
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005. He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
