The 56th annual Castlebar International Four Day Walking Festival gets underway  tomorrow evening (Wed) with a colourful opening parade through the streets of the county town.

Up to 200 visiting walkers will take part in the parade which will be led by a colour party from the Reserve Defence Forces and the Castlebar Concert Band. It starts from the Ivy Tower Hotel, the headquarters of the festival, at 6.30pm and proceeds to the Mall.

Walkers from around the world are in Castlebar for the 2023 event. 

Newly appointed festival director, Rowena Gillespie, who has been associated with the festival for 37 years, took over the mantle of festival director earlier this year from Elaine Devereaux who has been in the hot seat for three decades.

Special entertainment is being laid on in the Ivy Tower Hotel each evening with an outside stage in the adjoining gardens.

Registration for the walks, for those who have not already done so online on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., opens at mid-day tomorrow (Wednesday), in the Ivy Tower Hotel where those who have already registered can collect their start cards. 

Rowena has been telling Midwest News Editor Teresa O’Malley about the various walks and rambles (cross country hikes) which traverse some of the most scenic areas in the county..

Registration for the walks on Saturday and Sunday can be done online on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. From mid-day tomorrow (Wednesday), you can register in the Ivy Tower Hotel where those who have already registered can collect their start cards.