The Winter Pride festival, brought to us by Heartlands Pride Athlone, returns for its fourth annual celebration. The group has revealed a packed schedule, with 2026 Winter Pride in Athlone promising an array of exciting activities for the colder season. The festival will take place from November 6 to 8, with an additional date on November 21.
Templemore-based, family-owned gourmet candy floss and popcorn maker Irish Clouds will be doing a cotton candy workshop on November 6 at the Abbey Road Artist Studio from 6pm to 8pm. This will be followed by The Haus of Kwén drag show at 9pm in the Piano Bar. Kwén are a self-described Irish drag family of queer artists and extravagant performers based in Athlone.
The next day, November 7, SambaWave Galway, an Afro-Brazilian percussion band with a focus on Samba Reggae, will be holding a drumming workshop in the Family Resource Centre from 11am to 2pm. That night, kicking off at 9pm, local drag queen Tess Tickles will host the karaoke event Queereoke in O’Brien’s Bar, Athlone.
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On November 8, a walk with Heartlands in Motion at the Athlone Regional Sports Centre will take place from 11.30am to 2pm. Entertainment will also be included. Later that evening, a Poetry and Candlelit Cabaret hosted by Irish baritone singer Daryn O’Hara and local drag queen Jackie Off will take place at O’Brien’s Bar from 5pm. Lastly, O’Brien’s Bar will also host the end-of-festival party, “Bants and Beats”, starting at 9pm and going until late.
An additional date has been added to the Winter Pride festival, with the Heartlands Pride Christmas Markets taking place on November 21 at Dead Centre Mezzanine. This will be a family-friendly event filled with entertainment, where even Santa Claus will make an appearance. The Very Bublé Christmas Experience, a holiday tribute show celebrating the music of Michael Bublé, will take place at 2pm in the Mezzanine.
Heartlands Pride Athlone continues to grow, with Aoife Doolan recently taking home the 2026 GALAS Arts & Entertainment Award for her Síle na Gig float project, which was seen at the first-ever Heartlands Pride Athlone Summer Pride Festival.
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