Forest Fest 2025 cements spot as go-to Festival

Big increase in attendance as weather shone on electric Forest Fest performances

Forest Fest 2025 wrapped on a high note this weekend, with some 12,000 attendees basking in the sunshine and sounds of one of Ireland’s most beloved independent festivals. Held in the spectacular setting of Emo, Co. Laois, this fourth edition marked a major milestone for the award-winning event, with attendance levels up some 140% on the previous year and a weekend of standout performances that will live long in the memory.

Across four stages and 123 acts, the boutique festival delivered unforgettable performances from Manic Street Preachers, Franz Ferdinand, Travis, Orbital, The Stranglers, Billy Bragg, Peter Hook & The Light, Tony Hadley, The Dandy Warhols, Kula Shaker, Reef, Alabama 3, Therapy?, The Magic Numbers, Pillow Queens, Mary Coughlan, Sharon Shannon and many more.

Festival Director Philip Meagher says: 
“It’s been another beautiful, unforgettable weekend here in Emo. The music, the people, the sunshine – the vibe was absolutely spot on. I’m hugely grateful to our team, our artists and the local community for helping make Forest Fest what it is. Roll on 2026 – we already have some amazing acts booked.”

Weekend Highlights Included:

Incredible sets from headliners across three nights: Franz Ferdinand (Friday), Manic Street Preachers (Saturday) and Travis (Sunday) all delivered and then some. 
Orbital put on an electric show despite a last minute line-up change due to unexpected illness. We wish Phil Hartnoll a speedy recovery.
A show-stopping closing performance from Qween, Ireland’s premier Queen tribute act, who brought the festival to a dazzling close under a sky lit up by thousands of mobile phone lights as the crowd led the band into the intro of Bohemian Rhapsody. WATCH VIDEO HERE 
Tony Hadley surprising fans with a duet of ‘We Are the Champions’ alongside Qween’s frontman, Brian Keville, in an incredibly joyful moment. 
A moving tribute to Dolores O’Riordan by up-and-coming Irish rockers Motion Sickness with special guests Jack L and John Davidson, with renditions of songs like ‘Linger’ and ‘Zombie’, held the main stage crowd in awe.
Jack L also served as an incredible MC for the main stage across the weekend, guiding audiences with warmth and wit.
The Forest Fleadh Stage kept crowds dancing with its celebration of Irish music, with Mary Coughlan delivering a rousing rendition of ‘Ride On’ (“…the best I’ve ever heard,” writes Martin Doyle for The Irish Times), Sharon Shannon packing out the tent and Frankie Gavin & Dannan providing the perfect Sunday evening antidote to Bad Manners on the Main Stage for those with a preference to wind down their weekend.
The Perfect Day Stage was buzzing with fresh energy, featuring some of the hottest emerging bands in Ireland and abroad right now including Shark School, The Deadlians, The Luna Boys, Grooveline, Thx Mom and Fizzy Orange as well as searing sets from Sack, Kiera Dignam, The Seattle Grunge Experience, Glasshouse performs: The Velvet Underground and more.
The Ibiza Tent, pulsed late into the night with back-to-back sets from legendary Ibiza DJs with highlights including Mr. C (The Shamen) performing a DJ set with live PA and the 11-year-old rising star DJ Seán M., who has been on the decks since the age of three and has already made the pilgrimage to The White Isle numerous times! 
The Kids’ Field and family zone offered a colourful world of workshops, circus acts and street theatre, rounding out Forest Fest’s inclusive, multi-generational offering.

Founded by Meagher in 2022 as a celebration of live music and community, Forest Festhas quickly grown into a cultural highlight of the summer calendar. Voted 4th Best Festivalin Ireland by Irish Times readers and twice named Best Festival at the Midlands Hospitality Awards, it’s known for delivering big-name performances in a small, soul-filled setting.

Set in the village of Emo (population: 200), the festival transforms the area into a vibrant cultural hub with walkable site design, five stages, family areas, local food and drink, and a strong focus on accessibility and comfort.Forest Fest is proud to champion local businesses and sustainability. Pitched Perfect provided luxury glamping options, while Wicklow Wolf and Ballykilcavan Brewing Co. served up top-tier independent brews.

Teaming up with Native Events, Forest Fest 2025 expanded its Smart Waste Management initiative following a successful collaboration with EMO GAA in 2024, which had transformed litter picking into a positive festival experience. The focus this year extended to salvaging and repurposing valuable waste materials and enhancing audience engagement, with initiatives including an onsite waste segregation hub to educate attendees on waste separation and sustainability. Festival-goers were encouraged to plan well, bring less, embrace reusables, and take belongings home — and where disposal was necessary, to bag it, tie it, and use clearly marked recycling points, including dedicated Re-Turn collection areas for cans and bottles. The aim was to protect the site, support the local community, and lay the groundwork for further scaling up Forest Fest’s sustainability efforts.