The quiet streets of Boorowa will soon fill with the bleat of merinos, the skirl of pipes and the sound of Irish tunes as the Community Bank Boorowa Irish Woolfest rolls into town from Friday, 2 October to Sunday, 4 October 2026.
The festival, a highlight of the NSW spring calendar, celebrates Boorowa’s dual heritage: its world-renowned fine Merino wool and the strong Irish roots that date back to the 1820s, when early settlers including cousins Roger Corcoran and Ned Ryan arrived in the district. The town is twinned with Clonoulty in Tipperary, Ireland, and the event has grown from a late-1990s Wool Week into one of regional New South Wales’ most distinctive gatherings.
Fringe events kick off on Friday evening. The Boorowa Charity Art Exhibition and Sale opens at the Old Courthouse Building from 6.00pm to 8.00pm, giving early arrivals a chance to view and buy works supporting local causes. Live music follows at The Occasional Wine Bar (7.00pm) and the Boorowa Hotel (8.00pm).
Saturday builds the atmosphere. Visitors can browse the Upcycled Fashion Contest display at the Boorowa Op Shop (9.00am–2.00pm), try lawn bowls at the Boorowa Ex-Services Club (from 9.30am), or watch the Quick Shear Competition there from 11.00am to 3.00pm. Family fun takes over Boorowa Park from 3.00pm to 8.00pm, with a fireworks finale at 8pm. Evening music includes Double Tones at The Ram & Stallion Hotel (7pm) and headline act Double Shot Maggie at the Boorowa Hotel (8.00pm). The art exhibition and Boorowa Arts & Crafts Co-op continue at the Old Courthouse, while the Boorowa Museum is open both Saturday and Sunday.
Sunday is the main festival day on Marsden Street. Entertainment starts early with the Young Town Band (9.00–9.30am), story time, dance performances and a Combined Pipe Band Spectacular. Double Shot Maggie and local country artist Josie Laver take turns on the main stage throughout the day.
The formal program peaks around midday: the Blessing of the Fleece at 11.45am, official opening at noon, Street Parade at 12.15pm, and the iconic Running of the Sheep at 12.40pm. Flocks of well-groomed Merinos are guided down the main street by farmers on quad bikes and agile working dogs — a playful, crowd-pleasing take on Pamplona’s bull run that has become the festival’s signature attraction.
Afternoon highlights include more sets from Double Shot Maggie and Josie Laver, plus Competition Hour featuring the Irish Accent Challenge and Guinness Pie Challenge. Markets will line the streets with local produce, handmade goods, sheep-themed gifts and festival merchandise. Additional attractions typically include shearing demonstrations, working-dog displays, family amusements and an animal farm.
Double Shot Maggie, the high-energy Geelong/Melbourne ensemble blending traditional Irish music with punk attitude, returns as a headliner (Greg Chadwick, Lucy Riddett, Luke Hill, Gary Lowe and Paddy O’Callaghan).
Boorowa’s own Josie Laver brings heartfelt country songs drawn from life on the family farm.
Later on Sunday, The Ram & Stallion Hotel offers pizzas and live music by Jane Dee from 3.00pm, while other venues host DJs and NRL Grand Final watch parties. The Upcycle Fashion Contest entries — garments made from at least 50 per cent wool fibre using reclaimed materials — will be displayed in shopfronts leading up to and during the weekend.
Organisers describe the festival as a celebration of country community, wool, farming and rural life that brings locals and visitors together. Boorowa lies about 90 minutes from Canberra and roughly 3.5–4 hours from Sydney. Accommodation options include motels, pubs, farmstays and camping; early booking is advised.
Full program details are available at irishwoolfest.com.au. Visitors are encouraged to wear green, raise a glass and enjoy the craic — “you’d be sheepish to miss it”.
Temporary road closures for Boorowa Irish Woolfest will be in place along Marsden Street from Jugiong to Brial Streets on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 October 2026.
The following roads will be closed during the celebrations:
• Pudman Street between Scott and Market Streets, from 6am to 6pm on Sunday, 4 October 2026.
• Marsden Street between Jugiong and Brial Streets, from 6am to 6pm on Sunday, 4 October 2026 for through traffic. Vehicles will be directed to parking areas.
• Queen Street from St Patrick’s Catholic Church to Market Street, from 8pm on Saturday, 3 October to 6pm Sunday, 4 October 2026.
• Scott Street between Queen Street and Lachlan Valley Way, from 6am to 6pm on Sunday, 4 October 2026.
The following detours will be in place for the Boorowa Irish Woolfest Parade:
• From Yass, right onto Jugiong Street, left onto Market Street, right onto Pudman Street, left onto Court Street, left onto Brial Street and right onto Lachlan Valley Way, from 6am to 6pm on Sunday, 4 October 2026.
• From Cowra, left onto Brial Street, right onto Court Street, right onto Pudman Street, left onto Market Street, right onto South Street and left onto Lachlan Valley Way, from 6am to 6pm on Sunday, 4 October 2026.
Disabled parking is available behind St Patrick’s Church (via Scott Street). Bus Zone Dropoff will be along Market Street, close to the Boorowa Recreation Club.
Parking on Marsden Street and some side streets including Queen, Scott and Pudman Streets will be prohibited due to the scheduled event from 11:59pm on Saturday, 3 October until 6pm Sunday, 4 October 2026.
Lifting of Alcohol-Free Zones for 2026 Boorowa Irish Woolfest Celebrations
Hilltops Council would like to advise that the current Alcohol-Free Zones in place in the Boorowa CBD will be temporarily lifted on Sunday, 4 October 2026 for the Boorowa Irish Woolfest celebrations.
The temporary suspension of the Alcohol-Free Zones will be in place between 9am and 6pm. Glass will not be permitted on the street at this time; drinks must be in plastic cups or takeaway cans. The area of suspension includes:
· Marsden Street between Pudman and Queen Streets.
· Queen Street between Scott and Market Streets.
· Market Street between Pudman and Queen Streets.
· Pudman Street between Scott and Market Streets.
As at 6pm on Sunday, 4 October 2026, the usual requirements for the Alcohol-Free Zone will be reinstated.
