The Punchestown Horse-racing Festival returns this year from Tuesday 26 – Saturday 30 April. It will be the Great Comeback Festival, after a lull of two years. There are plenty of great places in Naas for racegoers to visit both pre and post racing including some of Ireland’s best boutiques, men’s shops, hotels, restaurants, and pubs to mention but a few.
Punchestown is Back – Kildare Paints the Town Red
Into Kildare, the tourism board for County Kildare has officially launched the ‘Paint The Town Red’ campaign, a best dressed window and building competition which will help promote and support businesses in Naas before and during the Punchestown Racing Festival.
The shops and traders in Naas are being encouraged to decorate their buildings and shop fronts in a racing inspired theme. This fantastic programme, which is being sponsored by Into Kildare aims to highlight and promote local businesses in Naas. It will serve to remind racegoers to shop, dine and do business in the town.
The trader with the best window will win a two night stay at the luxurious Killashee Hotel for two people. The prize includes dinner on one evening with afternoon tea at Killashee Hotel. The lucky winner will also receive a €100 gift card for Kildare Village and tickets for two people to the ‘Making an Entrance’ concert at Castletown House.
Speaking about the campaign, Aine Mangan, CEO of Into Kildare said “The Punchestown Festival will attract over 130,000 racegoers to the racecourse this year and those racegoers will of course need somewhere to eat, sleep and shop. T
The Into Kildare, Paint the Town Red initiative aims to encourage those racegoers to eat, sleep and shop in Naas and to spend their money with local businesses. Kildare is known as ‘The Thoroughbred County’ but it also haa lots to offer away from the track including fabulous cultural, dining and shopping experiences.
Conor O Neill, CEO of Punchestown Racecourse said, “We always say that people make Punchestown and after two years of vacant grandstands and deserted enclosures we are really looking forward to welcoming everyone to our ‘Great Comeback Festival’.
Punchestown offers a unique blend of sport, style, hospitality, and of course craic. With 20% of our attendance hailing from the UK we feel it is important to put on a welcome in Naas, our local town. The addition of flags, decals and racing themed window and shop front displays creates a festive atmosphere and we extend a sincere céad míle fáilte to our visitors”.
Check out what’s on for race week in Punchestown here.
