Listowel Harvest festival

Day 1 - Sunday 22nd September

Sunday is family day and this year’s free entertainment is better than ever! Highlights include a petting farm and the return of Giggles Entertainment with a mini Disco, face painting, free balloons and Coco Melon & Mickey Mouse will meet & greet all the children as they arrive! 

Sunday also features the Lyrath Estate Most Stylish Racegoer fashion competition judged by top fashion blogger, Mary O’Donnell, with a prize fund valued at €2,000! 

The opening day’s feature race is the Kerry Group Handicap Steeplechase.

Day 2 - Monday 23rd September

The feature race on Monday is the The John F. McGuire Handicap. 

Monday also sees the return of a competition celebrating one of fashion’s most iconic wardrobe essentials - Denim Blue Jeans! Open to everyone, ‘Forever in Blue Jeans’ is a great excuse to wear denim in any style from jeans to jumpsuits and style them up or down as you wish! It will be judged by top model and actor Timmy Dowd with cash prizes of €200 in the adult and €100 in the under 16’s category. 

Day 3 - Tuesday 24th September

Tuesday’s feature race is the Edmond & Josie Whelan Memorial Listowel Stakes 

Day 4 - Wednesday 25th September

The week’s racing highlight - The Guinness Kerry National is on Wednesday and always attracts a huge crowd. Limerick native, Patrick Neville, who now trains in England, has revealed he is aiming former Cheltenham Festival winner, The Real Whacker at this year's renewal. Formerly based in Askeaton, Neville was second in the 2016 running of the race courtesy of Rightville Boy.

 Post racing on Wednesday, ABBA Waterloo take to the stage at 6pm for a free concert on the course playing all the iconic 70’s Swedish Supergroup’s smash hits. 

Day 5 - Thursday 26th September

Back by popular demand, the Best Dressed Man’s Competition on Thursday is once again generously sponsored by Ryles Menswear Tralee and the judge is Cllr. Niall Botty O’Callaghan. 

The overall winner will receive a custom-made suit from Ryle Menswear valued at €1,200 and the first runner-up will receive a full Benetti suit, shirt and tie. Last year hundreds of dapper gentlemen dressed to impress and organisers are expecting another stylish event. Anyone wishing to enter should be on course by 2pm and the finalists and winners will be revealed in the parade ring after the 5th race. 

The feature race is The Liam Healy Memorial Lartigue Hurdle. 

Day 6 - Friday 27th September

Judged by former Miss World, international model, and best-selling author Rosanna Davison, and award-winning top Irish fashion designer Heidi Higgins, the overall winner of the Best Dressed Lady will be jetting off to the Big Apple and staying in the fabulous Fitzpatrick Hotel in Manhattan. 

In addition to this fabulous prize, there are also generous cash prizes of €1,000 for the Most Creative Headpiece as well as €500 for the Most Contemporary Outfit.  

Anyone wishing to enter should be on course by 1pm and the judges will personally tour the course to select finalists. There will also be designated Style Spotters on the course to assist the judges to ensure everyone who is dressed to impress has a chance to be seen by the judges! Finalists and winners will be interviewed on the new fashion stage and then revealed in the parade ring after the 5th race. 

The famous open top Double Decker Bus is back to transport everyone in comfort and style from the centre of Listowel town to the races from 11.30am on Ladies Day. There is always lots of bubbles, spot prizes and jazz music to get everyone in the mood for the day ahead.

On Friday the feature race is The MCG Handicap Hurdle.

Day 7 - Saturday 28th September

The Charlie Chute Memorial Handicap Steeplechase is the feature race on the last day of the Festival. It’s also Sustainable Style Saturday! 

This year the cash prizes are bigger than ever with €500 cash for the Most Sustainably Dressed Racegoer (male or female) and €100 for the first runner-up. Judged by sustainability advocate and fashion personality Orlagh Winters, there are also new categories with a €300 cash prize for the Most Sustainable 1980’s look and €100 for the Most Sustainable under 16’s Outfit. 

This is always a fashionable and fun event, with generous runner-up prizes sponsored by businesses of Listowel town for all the finalists and even spot prizes for the audience! So start planning your outfit now and re-style an outfit you have worn before, or go all out and raid your parent’s old wardrobe, support your local charity shops or pop into any vintage store.