Loughrea Biodiversity Festival & BioBlitz 2026 Set for 21–22 May

Loughrea Biodiversity Festival & BioBlitz 2026 Set for 21–22 May

A 24‑hour Biodiversity Festival and BioBlitz will take place in Loughrea on Thursday 21st and Friday 22nd May 2026 as part of National Biodiversity Week. The event invites the public to join ecologists, volunteers and local groups in discovering and recording the rich wildlife of the area.

The BioBlitz begins at 7.30pm on Thursday and runs until 7.30pm on Friday, with all activities based at the event centre on the Fair Green. The programme includes free guided walks, talks and demonstrations, suitable for all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

A BioBlitz is an exciting 24‑hour race to find and identify as many species as possible, a hands‑on way to learn about nature while contributing to local biodiversity knowledge.

Event Programme

Thursday 21st May

19:00-20:15
Bioblitz Countdown Timer starts.

20:15-21:00
John Carrig from the Barn Owl Project will give a talk.

21:15-23:00
Bat walk all welcome.

Friday 22nd May

6:30-8:00
Dawn Chorus walk – bring binoculars!

9:30-10:45
Moth and small mammal trap opening

11:15-12:30
Aquatic ecology demonstration

13:00-14:00
Woodland biodiversity walk with Janice Fuller or attend the lake shore bird watch.

14:30-15:15
Guided walk and talk on urban biodiversity.

15:30-16:30
Loughrea Anglers Association will provide a talk on their work to protect the lake.

16:30-16:45
ATU research talk on water quality in Loughrea.

17:00-18:00
Conservation detection dogs demonstration.

18:30-19:30
Camera trap viewing and species counting.

For more details, visit mkoireland.ie/bioblitz.

Discover Loughrea is brought to you by Loughrea Chamber of Commerce, supporting businesses and community locally.