Revvv It Up prepares for biggest-ever festival as global tractor pull stars head to Dungiven

One of Northern Ireland’s fastest-growing outdoor festivals is preparing for its biggest year yet as thousands of visitors are expected to descend on Dungiven this summer for a three-day spectacle of world-class tractor pulling, major country music acts, fireworks and family entertainment.

Revvv It Up Festival returns to Revvv Park in the heart of the Sperrins from Friday July 17 to Sunday July 19, with organisers dramatically expanding the event after rapid growth since its launch just two years ago.

The 2026 festival site has now doubled in size, with a major new concert area, expanded attractions and what organisers describe as Ireland’s first purpose-built European-spec tractor pulling arena.

What began in 2024 as a one-day charity tractor pull has quickly evolved into what is now regarded as the largest tractor pull festival in Ireland, attracting attention not only across the UK and Ireland but also from the United States, Canada, Belgium, France and the Netherlands.

Organisers say this year’s “Big Revvv Weekend” will bring a level of tractor pulling never previously seen in Ireland, with around 150 tractors expected to compete daily across four simultaneous pulling tracks.

4,000-horsepower machines set for Dungiven showdown

The headline attraction remains the high-performance tractor pulling competitions, with British champions Jim Whitecross, Ed Bateman and Kevin Carnegie leading more than 15 visiting British teams travelling to Northern Ireland for the event.

Festival founder Stephen Kealey

Festival founder Stephen Kealey said the scale of this year’s competition marks a major step forward for the sport in Ireland.

“Revvv It Up in 2026 will welcome some of the country’s highest horsepower machines with British Champions Jim Whitecross, Ed Bateman and Kevin Carnegie leading over 15 teams from Britain who will travel across to compete at Ireland’s first newly constructed European Tractor Pull spec track within the Revvv Arena at Revvv Park,” he said.

Visitors will see specialist machines producing more than 4,000 horsepower competing across multiple weight classes in what organisers say will create a constant high-energy atmosphere throughout the weekend.

Benjy Cradock, who is organising the visiting British teams, described the machines as “spectacular to watch”.

“These machines compete with horsepower reaching in excess of 4,000 HP. They are bespoke tractor pulling machines and are spectacular to watch,” he said.

“We are delighted to have been invited across to compete with the brilliant Irish tractor pulling teams and are really looking forward to the event and demonstrating the power and excitement of tractor pulling.”

Among the machines confirmed for the festival are “Big Red”, “Big Blue”, the “Thirsty Turtle Truck Puller”, and Benjy Cradock’s Deutz NBF Mean n Green.

Irish competitors joining the event include All-Ireland champions Gareth Oliver, Andrew Montgomery, Shane Potter, Sean Rafferty, Charlie Fay, Niall Smyth, Pat Leonard, Daniel O’Brien and Barry Read.

Ireland’s first quad-track tractor pulling arena

Revvv Park is being completely redeveloped ahead of the July festival to create what organisers say is the first dedicated quad-track tractor pulling and mini-pullers arena anywhere in the UK or Ireland.

The expanded arena will feature:

• One high-performance European-spec track

• Two farm-class tracks

• One mini pulling track

• Four sledges operating simultaneously

• Dedicated mini pulling competitions for young competitors aged eight and above

The Mini Pulling Team Ireland, led by Ernest Burrows, has also completed construction of Ireland’s first mini pulling sledge ahead of the festival.

Organisers say the new setup will allow multiple pulls to happen at the same time, helping create a continuous spectacle for spectators throughout the weekend.

Noel Watt, Chairman of the Irish Tractor Pulling Committee (ITPC)

Noel Watt, Chairman of the Irish Tractor Pulling Committee (ITPC), said interest in the sport has surged dramatically across Ireland.

“Tractor pulling in Ireland has been rapidly growing in interest and we have seen our membership more than double this year,” he said.

“This festival will allow Ireland to compete at the very highest level across Europe and will allow Ireland to host major national and indeed international championship events on a scale never seen here before.”

He added that the ITPC would oversee the Revvv Arena competitions throughout the weekend to ensure safety while delivering a “spectacular” experience for visitors.

Major country music stars to headline weekend concerts

Alongside the motorsport action, Revvv It Up is also bringing together one of the biggest country music line-ups seen at a single Irish festival in 2026.

In what organisers describe as a rare booking, Nathan Carter, Derek Ryan, Lisa McHugh, Cliona Hagan and Claudia Buckley will all perform during the same festival weekend.

Concert stage performances include:

Friday 17 July

• Claudia Buckley

• Lisa McHugh

• Derek Ryan

Saturday 18 July

• Cliona Hagan

• Nathan Carter

Additional entertainment across the weekend will feature Cellar Door Band, Goodfellas, Hitmen & Her, Atomic, Untouchables and Fiddler Adam performing in the music marquee.

This year’s festival will also introduce a new big top entertainment venue known as Club Revvv, bringing late-night DJ sets and festival-style nightlife to the event.

Gary Myles and Pete Snodden are set to headline the Club Revvv sessions across the weekend.

Family attractions, fireworks and festival atmosphere

While tractor pulling and live music remain the main draw, organisers are heavily promoting Revvv It Up as a full family festival experience.

Visitors can expect:

• Fireworks displays on Friday and Saturday nights

• Monster truck rides

• Racing lawnmowers

• Rodeo bulls

• Bouncy castles

• Face painting

• Kids’ discos

• Giant kites

• Tug of war competitions

• Celebrity chef demonstrations

• Community displays and interactive attractions

• Food stalls and festival vendors

• Cullen’s Amusements

One of the standout returning attractions will be the large-scale fireworks display, which organisers say proved hugely popular during the 2025 festival.

This year the fireworks programme is expanding to two nights, with four sledges set to be pulled down the main tracks underneath the fireworks display inside the Revvv Arena.

Festival built around charity and community

Despite the rapid expansion of the event, organisers say community fundraising remains central to Revvv It Up’s identity.

Since launching in 2024, the festival has raised more than £32,000 for Pulmonary Fibrosis NI and RNIB Northern Ireland.

Stephen Kealey said the original aim was simply to create an event that brought people together locally.

“When we organised the first tractor pull we honestly did not know what to expect,” he said.

“It started as a corporate event to raise money for charity and bring the local community together but has now grown into the premier tractor pull family festival in the country.

“The response was incredible and it kept growing from there. Each year we have tried to make the event bigger and better.

“For 2026 we are taking the festival to another level with bigger competitions, great music and plenty for families to enjoy. Our aim is to make Revvv It Up the go-to summer event in Ireland.”

The festival is also expected to deliver a major boost for the local economy, with thousands of visitors likely to increase demand for hotels, restaurants, campsites and hospitality businesses across Dungiven and the wider north west throughout the weekend.

Tickets and event information

Tickets are available now at:

www.RevvvItUp.com

Organisers say early booking is strongly recommended due to high demand.

Camping and motorhome facilities are also available as an add-on during ticket purchase, with hot showers, toilets and other amenities available on site.

Teams interested in entering the Tug of War competition can contact Mark O’Neill on 07395270288 or email mark.oneill@brmusl.co.uk

Event details

Revvv It Up Festival 2026

Revvv Park

Ballyguddin Road

Dungiven

BT47 4RJ

Friday 17 July 2026:

12pm – 12.30am

Saturday 18 July 2026:

10am – 12.30am

Sunday 19 July 2026:

10am – 10pm

With international competitors, heavyweight music acts, quad-track tractor pulling and a rapidly expanding festival footprint, organisers believe Revvv It Up is no longer simply a niche motorsport event — but one of the biggest new summer festivals emerging anywhere in Northern Ireland.