The new Queen Maeve Festival is taking place in Sligo on the May Bank Holiday Weekend from Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th May 2024. This is a special celebration hosted by Sligo County Council for the official opening of Queen Maeve Square in Sligo town.
This fantastic new public space is right on the banks of the beautiful Garavogue River in the heart of Sligo town and will come alive with a fantastic line up of music, culture and family fun.
This will be a special weekend for both locals and visitors and showcase the very best of what Sligo has to offer. Headline acts include award winning artists Gavin James (Friday 3rd May) and Moncrieff (Saturday 4th May) and Teada & Niamh Farrell (Sunday 5th May).
Throw in the energy of The Hit Machine, Shane Beirne & friends, Saibh Skelly, Callum Wall, The Rosecaps, Traditional music and dance, Jam @ the Square and family fun, cultural and creative events and you really do have something for everyone to enjoy.
Ocean FM will be broadcasting live from the square from 4pm on Friday 3rd May – a great way to kick off the bank holiday weekend.
Full details on the acts can be seen on our socials with our Instagram page here or our Facebook page here.
Schedule and timings:
Friday 3rd May;
- 9pm – 10.30pm Gavin James
- 7.30pm – 8.30pm Shane Beirne & Friends
- 6.45pm – 7.15pm Hit Machine Drummers Celtic Drummers
- 4pm – 6.45pm Ocean FM Live Broadcast
- 4.30pm – 6pm Official opening of Queen Maeve Square
Saturday 4th May;
- 9pm – 10.30pm Moncrieff
- 8pm – 8.30pm Saibh Skelly
- 7pm – 7.30pm The Rosecaps
- 6pm – 6.30pm Callum Wall
- 3pm – 6pm Cairde Cultural Celebration and Family Fun
- 12pm Queen Maeve Trail Walking Tour
Sunday 5th May
- 9pm – 10.30pm Téada & Niamh Farrell
- 7.45pm – 8.45pm Seoid
- 6.15pm – 7.15pm Glór na dTonn Céilí Band & Bróga Bríomhar
- 4pm – 5.30pm Jam @ The Square (Battle of the Bands)
- 12pm Exploring Sligo’s built heritage walking tour
Queen Maeve Festival: What You Need to Know
Limited Capacity – Be Early!
- To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience, entry to Queen Maeve Square is strictly on a first-come, first-served basis. Queen Maeve Square has limited capacity.
- If you want a spot near the stage, arrive well in advance of performance times!
- Once numbers have been reached within the viewing areas of Queen Maeve Square the event will be at capacity & access to the festival will be closed.
- For a safe and smooth Queen Maeve Festival, we’ll have bag checks and a no large bags policy.
Important Safety Information
Welfare & First Aid provision
Welfare & First Aid: The Order of Malta will provide welfare & first aid services on Friday, May 3rd. Civil defence will cover Saturday, May 4th, and Sunday, May 5th. Both will be located near the sound engineer tent and the Stephen Street exit/entry route. Hours of operation are 6:30 pm to 11 pm, & all visits will be logged.
Crime Prevention
Searches will be carried out at the entrances to the festival at the discretion of the event security team, & the event security team reserves the right to confiscate items which may cause danger or disruption to the festival with no refunds. Illegal & anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated & will lead to ejection from Queen Maeve Square & Rockwood Parade. Incidents of crime & disorder will be reported to the Gardai. There will be a Garda presence at the festival each night.
Event Security / Event Staff
Queen Maeve Festival security are fully trained & licensed security provided for your safety & comfort. They are clearly identifiable in uniforms & are positioned throughout Queen Maeve Square & Rockwood Parade. Please don’t hesitate to ask them for help or assistance at any time throughout the festival. You should always follow event security instructions, & particularly at the end of the festival when we are focussed on helping the audience get home safely. There will be Lifeguards based within the grounds for water safety.
Safety of Children
Please take responsibility for the children in your group, even if they are teenagers.
There will be volunteers at Queen Maeve Square & Stephen Street entrances distributing wristbands for children. These wristbands will include space for the child’s name & their guardian’s phone number.
- When a lost attendee is found, two staff or volunteers will remain with the individual at their current location, gather basic information (name, age, description, check for a wristband) & escort the lost person to the designated Lost Persons Point (marked at the Disabled Bay) after 30 minutes.
- Staff/volunteers at the Lost Persons Point will Care for the lost person, ensuring their comfort and safety and Use the wristband information to contact guardians.
- If the lost person remains unclaimed after a reasonable timeframe (e.g., 30 minutes in stay in place or 30 mins at the lost persons point), staff will contact the Event Controller for further instructions or potential Gardaí involvement.
Ask for Angela
‘Ask for Angela’ initiative will be in place for the duration of the festival. If you feel unsafe, vulnerable, or threatened whilst at the festival, you can ask a member of the event security team, volunteers, or event management teams for ‘Angela’. This will let them know discreetly that you require help, & a trained member of staff then be made available to support you.
Accessibility
We want to make sure that everyone enjoys the festival and is as comfortable as possible.
A designated Accessible Zone is located at stage right within Queen Maeve Square. Spaces are limited and operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Please arrive as early as you can to secure a spot. There will be a festival volunteer on hand who will be happy to help you if you have any questions or concerns.
Wheelchair users can access Queen Maeve Square from Bridge Street at the Building Block or by using the foot bridge from Rockwood Parade.
Accessible toilets are located stage left.
Questions:
Please feel free to contact us with any questions through our socials;
Important Updates: Check back on this page regularly for the latest announcements and updates about the festival.
Keeping the Festival Clean & Green
- No glass bottles are allowed inside the festival grounds. Single-use plastic cups will be provided at entry points. Please try to reuse the single use plastic.
- Please do your part! Use the trash bins available around Queen Maeve Square and Rockwood Parade to keep our beautiful town tidy.
Security have the right to check bags upon entry points to Queen Maeve Square.
Green and sustainable Festival
The Queen Maeve festival supports and encourages an environmentally responsible approach and seeks all participants and attendees to respect our environment and space. We aim to do so by planning a Waste Management approach to ensures the safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible handling of waste generated during the festival. Guided by the principles of waste reduction, reuse, and recycling, we prioritise minimising the amount of waste sent to landfills.
Goals
- Minimise waste generation
- Maximise recycling and composting to divert waste from landfills
- Maintain a clean and hygienic festival environment
- Comply with all relevant legislation
- Promote sustainability awareness among all festival participants and attendees
Casual Trader Engagement:
Casual Traders will be required to adhere to the following:
- Minimize packaging and single-use items
- Use reusable or compostable materials wherever possible
- Participate in source separation programs (recycling, composting)
Waste Bin Planning:
- We’ve determined the number and types of waste bins needed (general waste, mixed recycling, and compostables) based on expected attendance.
- Clear signage with pictures and symbols will be used for easy bin identification.
- Bins will be strategically placed in high-traffic areas, especially near food Casual Traders.
Sustainability Promotion:
We’ll promote our waste reduction efforts through:
- Attendees are encouraged to bring reusable water bottles, containers and dispose of their waste appropriately. Businesses are encouraged to use reusable and compostable containers.
- On-site signage reinforcing our commitment to sustainability
Sponsor/Partner/Stakeholder Engagement:
We communicate our waste management policy, expectations and support for alternatives to stakeholders.
- Waste Sort: If collection facilities permit, we’ll arrange for waste to be sorted during final cleanup, maximising diversion from landfills.
- Afterwards & Debrief: We’ll evaluate the effectiveness of this Waste Management Plan to identify successes, challenges, and areas for improvement. Signage and festival decorative items will be reused and repurposed.
