Listowel Harvest Festival 2026: Dates, Times, Tickets and Key Races
Listowel Harvest Festival 2026 runs from Sunday 20 to Saturday 26 September, bringing seven days of racing to The Island in North Kerry. Wednesday’s Kerry National supplies the sporting centrepiece, while Friday’s Ladies’ Day brings the biggest fashion occasion. For anyone planning a visit, choosing the right day matters as much as choosing a horse.
Listowel has a way of making a race meeting feel like the whole town’s business. A carefully chosen hat, a folded racecard and a conversation that starts over lunch can all carry on long after the last. The appeal is that racing remains at the centre of it, rather than becoming background decoration.
Listowel race schedule: choose your day
Monday and Tuesday offer Flat racing; the remaining five days feature National Hunt cards. These are the organiser’s published first-race times, in Irish local time.
| Day | First race | Programme |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday 20 September | 2.18pm | National Hunt, Family Day |
| Monday 21 September | 1.23pm | Flat |
| Tuesday 22 September | 1.47pm | Flat |
| Wednesday 23 September | 1.55pm | National Hunt, Kerry National |
| Thursday 24 September | 1.57pm | National Hunt, Lartigue Hurdle |
| Friday 25 September | 1.40pm | National Hunt, Ladies’ Day |
| Saturday 26 September | 2.45pm | National Hunt, closing day |
Divided races can bring the start forward by approximately 30 minutes. Check the final card before leaving, particularly if travelling specifically for the opener.
Kerry National and the week’s key races
The €200,000 Guinness Kerry National on Wednesday is the obvious choice for those putting racing first. A demanding handicap chase rewards jumping rhythm and stamina, with traffic adding another complication for horses held up behind the leaders.
Other highlights give the week its shape:
- Sunday: €45,000 Kinisla Handicap Steeplechase.
- Tuesday: €50,000 Edmund & Josie Whelan Memorial Stakes.
- Thursday: €60,000 Lartigue Hurdle.
- Friday: €100,000 Ballymore Handicap Hurdle.
King Alexander and Downmexicoway are among the early Kerry National contenders. Their inclusion in an ante-post market does not confirm participation, so the final declarations remain essential.
Listowel tickets and Ladies’ Day
The published gate prices are €20 from Sunday to Tuesday and €30 from Wednesday to Saturday. A seven-day ticket is advertised at €145, while the booking page also offers a festival flexi ticket and hospitality options.
Crucially, the organiser says online ticket discounts ended on 13 September. Older advertisements mentioning €5 savings should not be treated as current offers.
Ladies’ Day falls on Friday 25 September. Choose hospitality only after checking availability and what the package includes; a reserved dining arrangement is different from ordinary admission.
For a first visit, I would decide between Wednesday’s race and Friday’s atmosphere before booking accommodation. Trying to organise everything around both can quickly make a short trip expensive.
Kerry National odds: keep the terms beside the price
The festival’s biggest race also brings its most tempting early market. These approximate references are not verified LiveScore Bet prices; the links let you check current availability.
| Selection and market | Approx. decimal odds |
|---|---|
| King Alexander, win | 6.00 |
| Downmexicoway, win | 8.00 |
| Downmexicoway, each-way | 8.00 win odds |
The each-way row is an alternative to the win bet, not a third horse. Its place return depends on the advertised terms and it requires two stakes. Our LiveScore Bet review explains the operator before you check its racing markets.
Getting to The Island
