7 Hills Blues Fest 2026 Blues Trek – Full Programme & Venue Guide

The Blues are back — and this year they've brought the sunshine with them.

From Friday 31 July to Sunday 2 August, Armagh City becomes the blues capital of Ireland once again as the 7 Hills Blues Fest rolls out the Blues Trek: over 40 live acts playing across the city's bars, hotels, the Bandstand, the Shambles Yard Artisan Market and the Market Place Theatre. Most of it is free to enjoy, all of it is walkable, and there is genuinely something on from lunchtime to last orders every single day.

Before you plan, get a feel for it. Here's a taste of what the Blues Trek weekend looks like in Armagh.

Whether you're a die-hard blues fan or just fancy a great weekend out with live music around every corner, here's the full programme so you can plan your trek.

Friday 31 July — Easing Into the Weekend

Friday builds gently from an afternoon at the Bandstand into a proper night around the town.

Time	Act	Venue
1.00pm	Casino Dixieland Jazz Band	Bandstand
3.00pm	Banshee	Bandstand
5.00pm	Backbone Blues Band	Bandstand
6.30pm	Niamh Strong Band	The Hole in the Wall Bar
7.30pm	Zac Mac Band	Toby Jug
8.30pm	Villiers And The Villains	Devlin's Bar
8.30pm	Davy K Project	Rafferty's Bar
9.30pm	The Nite Hawks	Armagh City Hotel Callan Lounge
9.30pm	Crest of a Wave	Red Neds
9.30pm	Gary Price & GP3	Keegan's Bar
10.00pm	The Brown Notes	McKenna's Bar
10.00pm	The Blue Katz Blues Band	4th Wall @ Market Place Theatre

Our tip: Start at the Bandstand in the afternoon, grab a bite in the city centre, then follow the music — by 9.30pm you'll have four venues to choose from within a few minutes' walk of each other.

Man playing saxophone at the blues fest in vibrant blue text.

Saturday 1 August — The Big One

Saturday is the heart of the festival: eleven hours of music, from a morning showcase by Armagh's own MD Rafferty Music School right through to late sets at McKenna's and the Market Place Theatre.

Time	Act	Venue
11.00am	MD Rafferty Music School Live Lounge	Bandstand
12.00pm	CATCH 22	Bandstand
1.00pm	ATOMIC Blues Showcase	Artisan Market @ Shambles Yard
1.30pm	The Quays	Bandstand
2.30pm	The Juke Joint Blues Band	Artisan Market @ Shambles Yard
2.30pm	Crowblack Chicken	Turners Bar
2.30pm	The Mighty Quinn	Toby Jug
3.00pm	McCool Blues Band	Bandstand
4.00pm	Zac Mac Band	Artisan Market @ Shambles Yard
5.00pm	Open Mic Session (MD Rafferty Music)	The 4th Wall @ Market Place Theatre
5.30pm	Delta Fuse	The Hole in the Wall Bar
7.00pm	Frank Carberry Duo	Hughes Bar
7.30pm	The Soundbites	Rafferty's Bar
7.30pm	Rob Strong Band	Armagh City Hotel Spires Bar
7.30pm	The Boogie Monsters	Toby Jug
8.00pm	Eric Bell Trio	Charlemont Arms Hotel
8.00pm	Mark Braidner Blues Trio	Mickey Kellys
8.30pm	Mr Castle Blues Band	Uluru
9.30pm	Lee Hedley Blues Band	Devlin's Bar
9.30pm	The Dirt	Keegan's Bar
9.30pm	Alan McKelvey Band	Red Neds
9.30pm	Ben Reel Band	Armagh City Callan Lounge
10.00pm	Stonecold Hobos	McKenna's Bar
10.00pm	Freedom 35s	4th Wall @ Market Place Theatre

One not to miss: The Eric Bell Trio at the Charlemont Arms Hotel (8.00pm). Eric Bell was the original guitarist and founding member of Thin Lizzy — the man who played on "Whiskey in the Jar." Seeing a piece of rock history in an Armagh hotel bar is exactly the kind of thing that makes this festival special.

Make a day of it at The Artisan Market, Shambles Yard

Alongside the blues acts on the Artisan Market stage, Shambles Yard hosts a full market of local makers, growers and food traders — worth building an afternoon around, especially if you've got the family with you.

Craft, art and gifts: Unknown Jewellery · The Joan of Art Studio · Brown Owl Accessories · Sheilas Artwork · L Trueman Art · Masaco Candle · Material Girl · Field & Fleece · Melted by Meaghan · Scents by Suzanne · Linzi Vennard · J Rice Illustrations · Artwork by Li · Peartree Cottage Oils

Food, drink and local produce: Ballydown Milk · Tux Treats · Peggys Family Farm · Vibrance Flowers · Humblebee Therapies

Hot food: PIE NI Moira · Simply Crepes · The Doe Bar

With live blues on the stage from 1.00pm — ATOMIC Blues Showcase, The Juke Joint Blues Band and the Zac Mac Band across the afternoon — it's the easiest way to spend a Saturday in the city: good music, good food, and something to take home with you.

Sunday 2 August — A Soulful Send-Off

Sunday winds the weekend down in style, with afternoon sessions leading into a final evening of music across the city.

Time	Act	Venue
2.30pm	Ronnie Greer Trio with Ken Haddock & John McCullough	The Hole in the Wall Bar
2.30pm	Courtnay Giffen	Toby Jug
4.00pm	Mark Black Band	Rafferty's Bar
4.00pm	Lonesome Pete	Hughes Bar
5.30pm	Frank Carberry Blues Band	Red Neds
5.30pm	Alison McGrath & Soulantics	Armagh City Callan Lounge
6.00pm	Mike Brookfield Band	Mickey Kellys Bar
7.30pm	Rusty Jacks	Devlin's Bar
7.30pm	Bob Dylan's Outlaws	Toby Jug
9.30pm	We are Ghosts	McKenna's Bar

Our tip: The Ronnie Greer Trio with Ken Haddock and John McCullough at The Hole in the Wall (2.30pm) is a Sunday-afternoon treat — three of the finest musicians on the Irish blues and roots scene in one room.

Planning Your Trek

It's walkable. Almost every venue sits within Armagh city centre, so you can genuinely trek from one act to the next on foot.

Bring the family. Daytime sessions at the Bandstand and the Shambles Yard Artisan Market are family-friendly, with food and stalls alongside the music.

Eat well. Armagh's bars and restaurants will be in full swing all weekend — book ahead for Saturday evening if you can.

Check before you go. The programme is correct at the time of publication but subject to change — for the latest details on every act, visit 7hillsblues.com.

The 7 Hills Blues Fest is one of the highlights of the summer calendar in the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon borough — and with over 40 acts across three days, the 2026 Blues Trek looks set to be the biggest yet.

See you down there. 🎸

Programme information courtesy of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council. Correct at time of print and subject to change.