New wave of acts announced for Laois music festival!

A popular Laois music festival has announced a new wave of acts for their summer event.

From July 24 to 26, thousands of music lovers will descend upon Emo for Forest Fest 2026.

Lineup announcements so far have revealed that headliners Echo & The Bunnymen, James and Madness will all perform across the weekend at Bee's Wing Farm in Emo. The venue will also welcome The Boomtown Rats, The Charlatans, The Undertones, Deacon Blue, The Coronas, Paul Brady, Feeder and many more, with further announcements still to come.

On Tuesday May 26 at a launch party in Dublin's iconic folk music pub, O'Donoghue's of Merrion Row, more additions to this year's Forest Fest line-up were revealed as an all-star trad session heralded the news.

Twenty-seven acts were announced for the festival's beloved Forest Fleadh Stage, including Kíla and Brass, Camille O'Sullivan, Aldoc, Jiggy, Dervish, Cherish The Ladies, The Henry Girls, Lorraine Nash, Hugsie and more.

Forest Fest will also be graced by acts from beloved alt-rockers The Lemonheads, anthemic rock outfit Feeder, high-energy trailblazers The Wonderstuff, genre-bending groovers Black Grape, era-defining indie band The Fratellis, cult alt-rock heroes Ned’s Atomic Dustbin and the acclaimed singer-songwriter Lloyd Cole.

Performing at this evening's Forest Fleadh launch party were Rossa & Rónán Ó Snodaigh of Kíla, Jordan Lively, Caoimhín, Aoife Kelly of Jiggy, Alan Doherty of Aldoc and Méabh Mulligan, who formed an all-star Forest Fleadh session as attendees celebrated in the sunshine with a pint and a toastie.

"We are so proud of our Fleadh line-up this year and we're really looking forward to welcoming the very best folk and trad acts from all around the country to Laois in July,” Festival Director Philip Meagher said.

“This year, we wanted to do something a little different by starting our Fleadh journey in a different county. O'Donoghue's is world-renowned as a legendary hub for Irish folk music, most notably The Dubliners, who often performed in this very pub,” Mr Meagher praised.

“We're unbelievably honoured to have some of today's most renowned folk and trad musicians in the room with us tonight, and we cannot wait to have the mother of all hooleys in Emo this summer!"

The full line-up performing on the Forest Fleadh Stage at this year's Forest Fest includes:

Kíla and Brass; Aldoc; Jiggy; Dervish; The Byrne Brothers; Cherish The Ladies; Goitse; Derek Warfield and the Young Wolfe Tones; Caoimhín; The Henry Girls; Lorraine Nash; Camille O'Sullivan; Marty Barry and Conal O'Kane; Méabh Mulligan and Friends; Hubert Murray and Band; Aisling Drost Byrne; Brendan McCarthy and Conal O'Kane; Trad Hits feat. The High Kick Irish Dancers; Alder; The Craic Addicts; The Murphy Sisters; Jordan Lively & Rae MacIver; Wayne Brereton and Band; The Achill Lads; Hugsie; Set Dancing with Maureen Culleton feat. Scoil Rince Ní Anglais; Music Generation Laois & Harp Ensemble, and finally, Triológ.

Forest Fest was voted No. 1 Festival in Ireland in The Irish Times Critics’ Poll 2025, shortlisted for Best Small Festival 2025 in the IMRO Live Music Awards and crowned Best Event / Festival at the Midlands Hospitality Awards 2025, firmly cementing its reputation as one of the country’s most respected boutique music festivals.

Founded by Laois native Philip Meagher, representatives say that Forest Fest was created with a clear purpose: to bring exceptional music to audiences who value carefully curated line-ups and a truly premium festival experience.

“It is a festival for those who want to see artists come together in ways rarely seen on Irish soil, the kind of line-up that feels instantly iconic,” organisers said.

For 2026, the festival remains rooted in Emo, with the stunning backdrop of Emo Court still central to the experience.

“A new site layout within Bee’s Wing Farm introduces more space across the festival, allowing for a more comfortable experience and improved facilities, while retaining the walkable, convenient village-based setting that festival-goers know and love,” festival organisers said.

“Forest Fest actively supports local enterprise, with glamping provided by Abbeyleix-based Pitched Perfect and craft beers supplied by Wicklow Wolf and Ballykilcavan Brewing Co.,” they said.

The Laois event has a strong focus on sustainability, partnering with Native Events to focus on reducing emissions, protecting biodiversity, and encouraging collective action through initiatives across energy, transport, waste, food and governance of the festival.

“Through transparent reporting and responsible partnerships, we aim to create a festival experience that respects nature while inspiring positive change,” organisers explained.

“Each year, we collaborate with different stakeholders to advance our sustainability journey, and in 2026 our focus is centred on working with traders and attendees to create a greener, more responsible festival for everyone involved. We will also be collaborating with local charities and collectives to further strengthen our community and sustainability initiatives across the festival,” they said.

The festival will partner with Heineken, Bacardi, High Noon, My Waste and European Recycling Platform, with more announcements to come.

For those who wish to enjoy a stunning glamping experience, the festival offers a range of accommodation, including Pitched Perfect glamping units from two-person pods to eight-person suites equipped with hot showers, phone charging and pamper facilities.

Dedicated campervan and caravan passes are available, with extensive tent camping options also provided. Local hotels in Portlaoise, Kildare, Tullamore and Abbeyleix are served by regular shuttle buses.

“Forest Fest is easily accessible, located one hour from Dublin and just 5km from the M7 (Exit 15), with complimentary parking, hourly trains to Portlaoise and Portarlington and additional private buses planned for 2026,” a representative said.