The Running of the Sheep has to be one of the most popular events at Boorowa’s annual Irish Woolfest. Photo: Irish Woolfest.
Boorowa is buzzing this weekend as the town rolls out the green carpet for the 2025 Irish Woolfest.
From Friday 3 to Sunday 5 October, the streets will be alive with the hum of chatter, the bleat of sheep and the lilting strains of Irish music as locals and visitors come together to celebrate wool, heritage and community.
The town’s Irish roots run deep. While Boorowa’s name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning “two waters”, the Irish influence is impossible to miss during their three-day festival of the best the town has to offer.
In the 1820s and 1830s, waves of Irish settlers arrived in the region, drawn by grazing opportunities and farmland.
Then, what began in the late 1990s as a modest Wool Week celebrating the region’s prized Merino fleece, has grown into a full-blown festival that honours both the sheep and the spirited Irish culture woven through the town.
A program packed with events over the three days means visitors can head over for the full weekend or day trip with guaranteed entertainment set down from morning to night.
Friday you can ease into the festival with the opening of the 2025 Boorowa Art Show at the Old Courthouse building, followed by live Irish music at two venues – The Boorowa Hotel and The Occasional Wine Bar.
Saturday is orientation day – for those who’d like to see a quick shear in action, get active with some lawn bowls, a meander through Boorowa Museum and see what an upcycle fashion competition is all about.
The art show continues, featuring works from local and regional artists, giving visitors a chance to admire and purchase beautiful pieces while supporting schools in the area.
Fringe fun can be had at Boorowa Park from 3 to 8 pm where picnic rugs are encouraged as parents chill while the kids work off their festival food stall cheer on the jumping castle or chill at the colouring-in station or see emergency services crews in action before a movie night and fireworks display to see the evening (and daylight saving) off.
Live music won’t be in short supply either – with the Boorowa Hotel, The Occasional Wine Bar still jigging on from Friday night, and the Ram and Stallion Hotel and Boorowa Ex-Services Club entering the fray.
The festival’s showstopper has to be Sunday’s main event – the Running of the Sheep. Picture a mob of sheep trotting down the main street, guided by skilled sheepdogs and cheered on by a crowd waving flags and snapping photos.
Here visitors quickly learn that there’s nothing quite like sheep racing to bring a town together and the accompanying street parade will show what the town is all about.
For those with a competitive streak, Sunday at Irish Woolfest offers plenty of opportunities to test their skills – or their appetites.
The Guinness Pie-Eating Competition is a festival highlight, where brave participants race to devour delicious, stout-filled pies to the delight of cheering spectators.
The Irish Accent Competition invites contestants to showcase their best brogue, adding plenty of laughter to the streets.
There’s the Blessing of the Fleece, sheepdog trials to demonstrate the incredible agility and training of working dogs, while the Window Display Competition challenges local shops to create the most eye-catching Irish-themed storefronts.
Beyond the competitions, there’s plenty to explore.
Boutique market stalls spill into the streets, offering hand-spun wool, knitted goods, local produce, Irish-themed crafts and gourmet treats.
Live music and dance performances will continue to fill the air with traditional Irish tunes, keeping toes tapping and hearts lifted. And what’s a festival without massed pipe and drum displays?
Families are well catered for, with displays, street performers, face painting, a petting zoo and pony rides, wood chop comp and a range of amusements ensuring that the youngest visitors have as much fun as their parents.
The community’s involvement is what truly sets Woolfest apart: this is a festival powered by pride, community spirit and a healthy dose of fun.
Local businesses, schools, and residents of all ages pitch in, whether it’s dressing up in kilts, manning food stalls or helping with the daunting logistics of mustering sheep down a busy and enthusiastic street.
For those making the trek, Boorowa is just a four-hour drive from Sydney and 90 minutes from Canberra, making it an easy weekend escape.
For anyone looking for a unique weekend escape, take a peek at the program, and you’ll see the Boorowa Irish Woolfest is hard to beat.
It’s a celebration of heritage, craft and community that’s as lively as it is memorable – and a reminder that sometimes the best festivals are those where everyone, human and sheep alike, is invited to join the fun.
