Waterford Walls Street Party at Thomas Street Pocket Park

What to Expect

The Waterford Walls festival closes its main weekend with a free street party at Thomas Street Pocket Park on Saturday 15 August 2026, starting at midday and running on through the afternoon. The festival programme bills it as Recession Squad with Rhythm Walls, and it is free to attend with nothing to book.

The Pocket Park is the small open space beside Henry Downes on Thomas Street, and it has been used through the festival as an outdoor workshop and performance site. Over the same day the park hosts the kids and adult graffiti workshops, so the street party takes over a spot that has already been busy since Friday. Elsewhere in the city on the same afternoon there is a free Kids Walls session at City Square from 10am, DJ sets from Scoops, Daria and Christy at the Festival Hub from 2pm, and craft beer and street food stalls operating at the Festival Hub, The Forum and The Glen. The 2026 festival is the twelfth edition and runs from 7 to 16 August, with 52 street artists painting walls across the city, so the party doubles as a chance to walk the new murals while the paint is still going up. Free festival maps are available from venues around Waterford.

Good to Know

• Date: Saturday 15 August 2026, from 12pm and running through the afternoon
• Venue: Thomas Street Pocket Park, beside Henry Downes, Thomas Street, Waterford
• Price: free, no ticket or booking needed
• Line-up: Recession Squad with Rhythm Walls
• Also on that day: Kids Walls at City Square 10am to 12pm, DJs at the Festival Hub from 2pm
• Part of Waterford Walls Festival, 7 to 16 August 2026
• Outdoor event, so dress for the forecast

Getting There

Thomas Street runs off Broad Street in the middle of Waterford city, two minutes from the Apple Market and City Square. Plunkett Station is roughly ten minutes on foot across Rice Bridge and the Quay bus stops are closer again, so Bus Eireann and Local Link services from Dungarvan, Tramore, Kilkenny and Wexford all leave you within walking distance. Drivers coming in on the N25 should follow city centre signs and use the City Square, Broad Street or Hanover Street car parks. Thomas Street itself is narrow and busy on festival days, so parking on the street is not realistic.