Kildare Inclusivity Festival 2026
After last year’s amazing debut, the Kildare Inclusivity Festival is back and even bigger for 2026! Join us for a vibrant, welcoming celebration where everyone—of all ages and abilities—can connect, have fun, and experience true community spirit. Don’t miss your chance to be part of something special!
📅 When: Sunday 10th May, 2026
📍 Where: The Curragh Racecourse, Kildare
⏰ Time: 11am to 6pm
🔕 Quiet Hour: 11am to 12pm
🎟️ Admission: Free – Ticketless Event
Festival Map
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What’s on?
🎈 Family Fun Zone
🏅 Inclusive Sports Zone supported by KARE
🎩 Barretstown Magic Moments therapeutic activities
🦄 Meet the Ponies and a Para Dressage Display
🧺 Artisan Food & Craft Market
🎭 Live Entertainment, including music, magic, puppetry, and more
🎤 Live Outdoor Music Stage featuring new artists
🚗 Vehicle Demonstration Zone
🏢 Exhibition Stands & Service Provider Zone
🧸 Our World Inclusive Toy Display
🧘♂️ A dedicated Quiet Zone for time out and calmer activities
🚪 A Quiet Entrance to help ensure a calm arrival experience
🕰️ A Quiet Hour from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
🚗 A brand new Vehicle Demonstration Zone
✨ And so much more!
What is the Festival all about?
The Kildare Inclusivity Festival is a free day of fun, live performances, activities and inclusive sports, celebrating disability and the limitless potential of individuals of all abilities through engaging and meaningful community interactions. Brought to you by Kildare County Council, CKAN (County Kildare Access Network), Intel and supported by The Kildare Sports Partnership, Barretstown, Kare, Nua and The Curragh Racecourse, we aim to break down barriers and contribute to positive change for people living with disability in County Kildare.
Attractions and Activities
Family Fun Zone
Packed with engaging activities for children and families. Try out our inflatable bouncy castles, inflatable games, funfair games and more!
Kare Inclusive Games
Join the team from Kare for some inclusive sporting fun, with games like bocce, floorball and mini golf ready for you to try!
Kildare Sports Partnership Inclusive Sports Area
Come and experience adaptive and inclusive sports with the Kildare Sports Partnership. Why not find out how Blind Tennis works, try out inclusive pitch and putt or have a go at inclusive kids football with the GAA Allstars!
Barretstown Magic Moments
An opportunity for families to experience the Magic of Barretstown with fun therapeutic programs for all ages. With Face painting, bracelet making and so much more you are sure to enjoy your time with the Barretstown crew.
Live Entertainment
Get ready for a jam‑packed day of entertainment! Enjoy a lively mix of music on our outdoor festival stage with acts from Music Generation, then head to the Family Zone for magical performances and puppet shows. Be amazed by the incredible acrobats from Really Grand Events, and don’t miss the indoor stage in The Champions Hall, where you can sing along with Athy Sing and Sign and clap to the uplifting sounds of the Newbridge Gospel Choir — and that’s just the beginning!
Artisan Food & Craft Market
Featuring over 30 stands from local food producers and craftspeople.
Our World Inclusive Toy Display
“Our World” is the flagship initiative from the Maynooth Access Group and CKAN. It is a disability awareness educational programme for children and about children. Primarily it is designed to give a voice to disabled children in our community. Maynooth Access Group delivers the Our World programme to pre-schools, primary and secondary schools and to community groups. They will have a full display of all of their inclusive toys and Lego streetscape, which was a huge hit last year with young and old! Come and find them upstairs in the Champions Hall (Zone 11) in the Lilywhites Lounge!
Exhibition Stands & Service Provider Zone
Showcasing local services, supports, and organizations.
Plus much, much more….
Equine Activities and Displays
Para Dressage Riders
We are proud to highlight two exceptional athletes representing the very best of Irish Para Dressage at this year’s Inclusivity Festival.
Three-time Paralympic medalist Helen Kearney joins us as a guest speaker. A leading figure in international para dressage, Helen has represented Ireland at both the London and Rio Paralympic Games, where she secured team bronze medals, as well as competing at multiple World and European Championships.
Renowned for her consistency at the highest level, she has achieved numerous international podium finishes and has been a key member of Ireland’s most successful para dressage teams. Following her diagnosis with Friedreich’s Ataxia, Helen has become a powerful advocate for accessibility and inclusion in sport. She will share her insights on the unique bond between horse and rider, reflecting:
“When I am up on a horse… people don’t notice any difference. If people see me on the ground they know, but when I am on a horse, they are none the wiser.”
We are also delighted to welcome back Heather Lemmon and her beautiful mare Freya. Heather, an international para dressage rider and the 2024 Para National Champion, will lead a live dressage demonstration. After a year’s break due to health reasons, Heather and Freya have returned to competition in Grade I and are now setting their sights on the LA 2028 Paralympic Games.
Heather’s work with Freya highlights the communication, trust, and partnership at the heart of para dressage, proving that dedication and harmony can overcome any barrier in the arena.
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Stewarts Care Equine Therapy Hub and ChildVision
Back by popular demand, the Stewarts Care Regional Therapy Equine Hub will return to the festival with a selection of their ponies, giving attendees the opportunity to meet the team and learn more about their therapeutic programmes. Joining them this year will be ChildVision, who will also bring ponies from their Equine Assisted Activities programme, further showcasing the positive impact of equine-assisted supports.
Food and Drink
You are welcome to bring a picnic with you, but should you wish to there will be a range of food and drink available to purchase on the day (including gluten free options), with a hot food counter and Spar shop inside the Champions Hall, the Orby’s by Lucy Café at the entrance, Shóda Café in the Queen’s Room and various food vans outside in the main outdoor festival area, such as The Beanery, The Crepe Box and The Moody Cow Food Company.
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Venue Facilities and Information
We are delighted to be back at The Curragh Racecourse again this year. Please find some information below on the facilities available at the venue, but should you have any specific queries regarding accessibility for the Festival, please feel free to contact the Access Officer for Kildare, Michael Hurley, by email to mhurley@kildarecoco.ie.
Quiet Zone, Quiet Entrance and Sensory Spaces
Upstairs in the Champions Hall (Zone 11), you will find a Quiet Zone with activities carried out in a calm environment, such a silent disco and the Kildare Library Services’ TTT Collection. You can use the Quiet Entrance (Zone 10) to go straight to this area.
The Curragh Racecourse has a permanent sensory room (Zone 2), next to the playground. Nua Healthcare’s Mobile Sensory Pods will also be available: one at the entrance to the Champions Hall (Zone 11) and another at the main entrance in the carpark (Zone 1).
ISL Interpreters
Get ready for an engaging experience—both Deaf and Hearing ISL interpreters will be lighting up the music stage and joining in on some of our workshops! Whether you’re catching the main event or participating in interactive sessions, you’ll have the chance to connect, communicate, and enjoy the fun with talented interpreters ensuring everyone can fully join the conversation. Don’t miss the opportunity to see interpretation in action, making every moment accessible and lively for all!
Parking
There is a carpark available to festival goers at the Curragh Racecourse. Additional Accessible parking has been provided for the day of the Festival, and volunteers will be onsite to direct you. If you have mobility issues and require assistance getting from the carpark to the Festival entrance, please feel free to let a volunteer know and they will be happy arrange assistance. Also onsite to help out will be the BuggyMan’s wheelchair accessible buggy to help any weary festival goers to and from their cars. This has once again been kindly sponsored by UPMC.
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Wheelchair Accessible Toilets
There are wheelchair accessible toilets at The Curragh Racecourse.
Changing Place Facility
The Curragh Racecourse has a permanent Changing Place Facility located inside the stand. The location will be clearly marked on your site map on the day. There will also be a mobile Changing Place Facility onsite on the day of the Festival. Changing Place Facilities are also Stoma Friendly.
Assistance Dogs and Spending Areas
Assistance dogs are welcome at the Kildare Inclusivity Festival. A Spending Area will be provided by CKAN and will be located in ZONE 2. Please note, we are not able to accommodate family pets on site.
First Aid
Kildare Civil Defence will be onsite to administer first aid should it be required.
Directions
A link to the location of The Curragh Racecourse on Google Maps is here https://maps.app.goo.gl/XfVpb233f5NmMRYH7
If you are coming by car via the N7 use Exit 12 to access The Curragh Racecourse.
Contact Us
For queries on the Kildare Inclusivity Festival please contact the Access Officer for Kildare, Michael Hurley, at accessofficer@kildarecoco.ie