The development of Linger: Limerick Festival of Food, Heritage and Place has been guided by an extensive engagement process undertaken as part of Limerick City and County Council's participation in the EU Interreg North-West Europe SLOWTOUR Project. The objective has been to create a distinctive festival that celebrates Limerick's culinary traditions, local producers, hospitality sector, heritage, communities and unique sense of place.
- Internal Workshop – 10th March 2026
- Pop-Up Consultations
- Online Community Engagement Surveys
- Stakeholder Workshop – 23rd June 2026
- Outcome
Internal Workshop – 10th March 2026
The process commenced with an internal workshop held on 10th March 2026 in Limerick City and County Council, involving relevant Council departments and project partners. The workshop explored opportunities to develop a food-focused event aligned with the objectives of the SLOWTOUR Project while supporting tourism development, local enterprise, community participation and the promotion of Limerick's cultural assets.
Participants discussed potential festival themes, target audiences, suitable locations, programming ideas and opportunities to showcase local food experiences. The discussions highlighted the importance of creating an event that is authentic to Limerick, supports local businesses and encourages both residents and visitors to engage with the county's rich culinary traditions.
To ensure the festival was informed by community and industry input, a series of pop-up consultation events were held across Limerick during May and June 2026.
The first consultation took place during the Riverfest weekend, providing an opportunity to engage with residents and visitors attending one of the city's largest annual festivals. A second consultation was held at the Milk Market on 30th May 2026, enabling direct engagement with local producers, traders, businesses and members of the public. Additional consultations were subsequently held in Newcastle West on 6th June and 11th June 2026, ensuring the views of stakeholders and communities from West Limerick were captured as part of the festival development process.
The consultations enabled residents, businesses, food producers, hospitality providers, tourism organisations and community groups to share their views on the types of experiences and activities they would like to see included in a Limerick food festival.
Online Community Engagement Surveys
As part of the engagement process, Limerick City and County Council also launched a series of online public surveys through the MyPoint consultation platform to encourage broad participation in the festival's development.
One survey, “Your Voice, Your Festival. Help Shape Limerick's New SLOWTOUR Food Festival", invited residents and stakeholders to provide feedback on the festival concept, programme ideas and priorities. A second survey, “Your Voice, Your Festival. Help Us Design a Logo and Name for a New SLOWTOUR Food Festival in Limerick", invited residents, students, creatives and community groups to contribute ideas for the festival name and visual identity, supporting the development of a community-led brand.
The surveys complemented the in-person engagement activities and provided additional opportunities for people across the city and county to contribute ideas and help shape the festival.
Stakeholder Workshop – 23rd June 2026
A stakeholder workshop was held on 23rd June 2026, bringing together representatives from the food, tourism, hospitality, community, heritage and cultural sectors. The workshop presented findings from the earlier engagement activities and explored the festival's vision, objectives and programme in greater detail.
Attendees participated in facilitated discussions on the festival's identity, key themes, potential experiences and opportunities for collaboration. The workshop generated a wide range of ideas and demonstrated strong support for an event that combines food experiences with heritage, culture and local storytelling.
Key themes emerging from the workshop included:
- Celebrating local food producers and culinary talent.
- Connecting food experiences with Limerick's heritage, landscape and communities.
- Creating inclusive and accessible events for diverse audiences.
- Encouraging collaboration between businesses, community organisations and tourism providers.
- Developing distinctive experiences that differentiate Limerick from other food festivals.
Feedback from the internal workshop, community consultations, online surveys and the stakeholder workshop informed the development of Linger: Limerick Festival of Food, Heritage and Place, taking place from 11th–13th September 2026. The programme reflects the priorities identified throughout the engagement process while showcasing Limerick's unique food, heritage and cultural experiences, ensuring the festival is rooted in local identity and shaped by the communities and stakeholders who contributed to its development.