About
Sperrins Festival (20–22 March 2026) a new three-day celebration of landscape, heritage, and community will take place across Sperrin Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). It aims to strengthen connections between people and place, support sustainable tourism, and provide new opportunities to learn, explore, and celebrate the area’s rich and diverse heritage and culture.
The 2026 festival hub will be based at Gortin Activity Centre, with support from Fermanagh and Omagh District Council. Free transport will be provided to all guided walks and events across Sperrin AONB, helping to make remote sites more accessible while reducing traffic in rural areas. Looking ahead, the festival hub will rotate around the region in future years, to ensure the benefits of the festival are shared across the wider Sperrins area.
The festival features a diverse programme: various levels of guided walks led by leading outdoor activity provider experts Far and Wild. The walks will be complemented by a variety of talks, storytelling, music and crafts and a family fun day suitable for all ages and interests - all delivered at the festival hub across the weekend.
With events designed for a wide range of abilities, participants can explore local history and heritage, wildlife, and community stories through both outdoor and indoor experiences.
For safety and comfort, transport will operate between the festival hub and selected event locations. Most events will proceed in typical spring weather conditions, although severe weather may lead to adjustments or cancellations, with prebooked participants notified in advance. Dogs are not permitted on festival walks.
The festival is led by the Sperrins Partnership and delivered in collaboration with Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Derry City and Strabane District Council, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, and Mid Ulster District Council, alongside local guides, historians, activity providers and community groups. The festival is also supported by the DAERA Environment Fund and DfC Historic Environment Division Research and Revivals Stream.
The Sperrins region is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) which is located in the west of Northern Ireland. The wider Sperrins area stretches from the Donegal border in the west, to Lough Neagh in the east and to the Atlantic shores in the north. The natural asset of the mountain range mixed with the unspoilt landscape of winding rivers, sun swept valleys and scenic lakes all translate into a region recognised as one of the most idyllic geographical areas of rural Ireland.
