A brand-new festival, celebrating Limerick's rich food culture, heritage, traditions and sense of place, will make its debut at locations across Limerick this September. Linger: Limerick Festival of Food, Heritage and Place will take place from Friday, 11 September to Sunday, 13 September 2026, bringing together local food producers, chefs, hospitality providers, community groups and cultural organisations for a weekend showcasing the very best of Limerick.
Delivered by Limerick City and County Council as part of the EU SLOWTOUR project, Linger embraces the principles of slow tourism by encouraging visitors and locals alike to slow down, stay longer and connect more deeply with Limerick's unique food traditions.
The inaugural festival will feature a curated programme of community-led events at various locations across Limerick, with demonstrations, markets, guided tours, talks and family-friendly activities, all designed to celebrate the people, places and produce that make Limerick unique.
The name Linger: Limerick Festival of Food, Heritage and Place was developed following public consultation on the creation of the festival, during which members of the public shared ideas and suggestions for both the festival's content and name.
The full festival programme will be announced on Monday, 17 August.
Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, said:
"Linger is exactly the kind of initiative that reflects the direction we want to take Limerick. One of the ambitions in my Mayoral Programme is to further strengthen Limerick's reputation as a destination for outstanding food, hospitality and authentic visitor experiences while supporting our local producers and businesses. Linger is a wonderful example of that ambition in action. We look forward to unveiling the full programme of events in August and can’t wait to welcome residents and visitors alike to enjoy memorable food experiences in September.”
Príomh Chomhairleoir, Cllr Tom Ruddle commented:
“Limerick’s food, our producers, our heritage and our communities are among our greatest strengths, and the new Linger festival brings them together in a way that encourages people to discover more of what makes our city and county such a special place.”
Director General, Limerick City and County Council, Dr Pat Daly added:
“We are delighted to confirm the dates for this exciting new celebration of Limerick’s unique food culture. From the outset, there has been tremendous enthusiasm and support from local stakeholders and that has been hugely encouraging as we seek to create a festival programme that truly reflects the richness and diversity of Limerick’s food story.”
Linger: Limerick Festival of Food, Heritage and Place marks an exciting new addition to Limerick's annual events calendar, highlighting the city and county's growing reputation as a destination for exceptional food, culture and authentic visitor experiences.
Further information and the full festival programme will be available from 17 August at www.limerick.ie/linger.
