RiverFest returns to Belturbet
RiverFest takes place Saturday, September 19.
Belturbet is getting ready for the return of RiverFest on Saturday, September 19.
The message from the organisers is simple: The energy is still there and everyone is welcome.
“We’re raring to go,” says John Hoyne, replete in an inflatable duck costume. “It's bigger and better and more fun, and we’re getting lots of the community involved and plenty of help.”
The festival arrives a little later than its inaugural 2025 outing, but organisers believe the timing may work in its favour, with children back at school and families ready for a day out - swapping copybooks for games, fresh air and fun by the riverbank.
For years, the Erne has been one of Belturbet’s greatest natural assets. As John puts it, the ambition is to “showcase Belturbet in the best light”.
The day begins with an 8:30am run/walk on the island; followed from 10am to 1pm by a wellness morning featuring Pilates, yoga, a soundbath and breathwork.
The popular wellness line-up includes Pilates with Tara at 10am, Yoga with Sharon at 11am and Soundbath with Sound Hills at noon. Sessions cost €15 each or €40 for all three, with bookings on 086-1995926. A coffee truck will also be on site.
Then comes the Duck Race, one of the highlights of the one-day community festival, with the duck racing from the Railway Bridge towards Kilconny Bridge at 2pm. Ducks are currently on sale, and lines can be purchased at local businesses around the town, or on the day.
From 3-6pm, the fun moves adjacent Morrissey Park, with free family entertainment including face painting, canoeing, boat trips and a barbecue. There will also be a return to old-fashioned games, with three-legged races, egg-and-spoon races, sheaf throwing and other traditional activities.
It finishes with a disco at Belturbet Golf Club from 8:30pm until late, with music from DJ Paul Cox and a shuttle bus ferrying attendees between the venue and town (€20 with bus included).
Cllr Brendan Fay believes RiverFest has succeeded in restoring something every good town needs: “a bit of craic”.
“The fun sometimes goes out of things,” he says. “This has brought the whole fun back into it.”
Eileen McCandless says the festival is already making its presence felt, with RiverFest hats and t-shirts helping to spread the word.
“I’ve spoken to a lot of people and they’ve been telling me already that they’re really looking forward to it. And they want to be part of it as well, which is wonderful.”
For Agnes O’Neill, who has lived in Belturbet almost eight years, becoming involved is a way of giving back to the place she now calls “home”.
Having missed the first RiverFest, Agnes was determined not to miss out a second time.
“It is my town, my home.”
Her sentiment is shared by others too.
Ruth MacCárthaigh has been creating videos celebrating Belturbet and its many attractions. What began as an interest in RiverFest grew into something broader, discovering and documenting stories and places that make the town distinctive.
“There’s so much to discover in Belturbet, and I think sometimes we don’t realise what we have right on our doorstep,” says Ruth.
“There’s such a strong sense of community here. I’m really looking forward to seeing people come into the town, enjoying themselves and maybe discovering something about Belturbet that they didn’t know before.”
Belturbet Riverfest takes place Saturday, September 19. For more details visit Discover Belturbet.