General News
7 November, 2025
Milestone for Koroit festival
THREE decades of fun and celebrating heritage will be at the heart of the 2026 Koroit Irish Festival.
On the weekend of May 1-3, Koroit will welcome up to 5000 people for its annual festival.
The 2026 festival will carry even more importance than usual as it will be the 30th time the festival has been held.
The festival was first staged in 1997, and since then has become a major event not just for Koroit, but the entire region.
Koroit Irish Festival president Adele MacDonald said the 30th year would be a special one.
“We are just so proud of the festival and what it means to people,” Ms MacDonald said.
“Our committee is made up entirely of volunteers and everyone works so hard.
“We also have such a strong backing from our community, which is so important. For the festival to still be going so strong after 30 years is so exciting and we plan to celebrate in style.”
There has only been one major setback in the history of the festival, which like for many others, was COVID.
When it struck in 2020, the festival was less than two months from happening, and was all ready to go.
But it quickly had to be shelved, making it the first local major event to be affected.
And while the festival did not happen in its usual way that year, it did go ahead as an online event.
“We do count that as a festival, it was still great fun and so many people engaged online with it,” Ms MacDonald said.
“It was maybe one of our most important festivals yet.
“The world was in turmoil and there was a lot of uncertainty, so this gave people something to enjoy and be a part of.
“I think that is what the Koroit Irish Festival is all about, giving people a place to go and have fun and share that experience with friends and strangers.”
Tickets for the 2026 Koroit Irish Festival go on sale this Sunday, November 9, at 2pm.
Tickets will be on sale at the festival website, koroitirishfestival.com.au and its Facebook page.
