Festival of the Mountain & Vintage Rally
Glenbarrow, Rosenallis, Co. Laois — in the foothills of the Slieve Blooms. A day of vintage vehicles, tug of war, live music, food and family fun.
County Laois's oldest festival — celebrating rural life since 1962.
Counting down to the festival
Our story
Sixty years of community, revived.
First held in 1962, the Festival of the Mountain is the oldest festival in County Laois. It ran for decades before pausing for a five-year hiatus — and was proudly revived in 2023 by the community.
Today it is organised entirely by volunteers from the Rosenallis Development Association and the Rosenallis & District Vintage and Classic Club, held at the scenic Festival Field, Glenbarrow, beneath the Slieve Bloom Mountains.
All proceeds support local charities and community initiatives.
What's on
A day the whole valley turns out for.
Attractions the festival is known for. The full 2026 line-up is being confirmed — expect more surprises on the day.
Vintage & Classic Rally
Tractors, cars, lorries, engines, motorcycles & auto-jumble.
The Famous Tug of War
Teams from Cadamstown, Ballyfin, Kilcormac/Killoughey & beyond.
Queen of the Mountain
A festival tradition — crowned on the day.
Live Music All Day
Trad tent, main stage, drumming circle.
Sheep Shearing
Live demonstrations from local shearers.
Dog Show
Bring your best friend — all breeds welcome.
Arts & Craft Stalls
Makers, craftspeople and local produce.
Spit-Roast & Food Trucks
Pig on the spit, colcannon, hot food, sweet treats.
Kids' Amusements
Free face painting, live animals, rides.
Past special guests have included the Garda Mounted Unit and Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Festival launch
Saturday 18th July 2026 · 9pm · The Village Tap, Rosenallis
Tug of war on the night · music by Acoustic Roots · complimentary food. Special guest appearance by Laois hurling captain David Dooley and teammate Fiachra C. Fennell.
Plan your visit
Everything you need to know.
- Date
- Sunday 16th August 2026to be confirmed
- Time
- 12 noon – 6pmto be confirmed
- Admission
- €10 adults · under-16s freeto be confirmed
- Where
- Festival Field, Glenbarrow, Rosenallis, Co. Laois
- Getting there
- Free shuttle bus from off-site parking (every ~15 mins)to be confirmed
- Family friendly
- Dogs welcome on lead. Buggy-friendly grassland.
FAQs
Gallery
Postcards from the mountain.
Sponsors
Back the mountain. Reach thousands of local families.
Sponsoring the festival aligns your business with the oldest community gathering in Laois — a warm, family day out with genuine local reach and a charitable impact you can point to.
See sponsor packagesTrade stands · limited pitches
Put your business in front of the whole valley — for €75.
A full day of face-to-face trading with thousands of local families from Laois, Offaly and across the Midlands. There is no cheaper, warmer or higher-footfall day out to advertise a local business.
Thousands
of visitors across the day — a captive, in-market local audience.
€75 flat
One low fee, up to 6m × 5m. No commission, no percentages.
Real conversations
Face-to-face with the neighbours you want as customers.
Good cause
Every euro supports local charities and community life.
Perfect for: food trucks, makers, tradespeople, local services, farm producers, artisans.
- Prime pitches on the Festival Field
- Listed on our socials before the day
- Set up from early morning, trade 12–6pm
- Power available on request
Pitches are limited and booked on a first-paid, first-served basis — don't leave it late.
Contact
Say hello.
Questions, ideas, old photos to share, or just want to help out on the day? The committee would love to hear from you.
Volunteer-run · all proceeds to local charities.