The 2026 Galway Races Summer Festival is set to introduce an exciting new addition to race week with the launch of the newly reimagined Tribes Tuesday, taking place at Ballybrit on Tuesday, July 28.
Designed to celebrate community spirit, local pride and friendly rivalry, Tribes Tuesday invites clubs, teams, supporters and families from across Galway to come together for what promises to be one of the standout days of this year’s festival.
A major highlight of the day will be the brand-new Five Grand Challenge, where local clubs will compete for a €5,000 cash prize in a series of live challenges at Ballybrit. Teams of three adults, including at least one female participant, will take part in events such as the Rodeo Horse, Hang Tough and Squat Challenge. The top-performing teams will then progress to a thrilling 300-metre sprint finale, with the winning club taking home the €5,000 prize fund.
Beyond the competition itself, Tribes Tuesday also offers clubs a unique fundraising opportunity. Clubs that sign up can sell Tribes Tuesday tickets directly to members, supporters and the wider community, with €7.50 from every ticket sold donated straight back to the club.
The initiative has been designed to make fundraising simple and stress-free, with Galway Races handling all ticketing and payment administration. Clubs simply register by emailing [email protected] and are then added to the dedicated club selection list on the ticketing page.
To qualify for the Five Grand Challenge, clubs must sell a minimum of 30 Tribes Tuesday tickets.
The Galway Races Summer Festival returns from Monday, 27th July to Sunday, 2nd August, bringing seven days of racing, entertainment, fashion and festivities to Ballybrit. Tribes Tuesday is expected to add a fresh and energetic community focus to one of Ireland’s most iconic summer events.
