Ballybunion Bean Festival
Saturday 16th August 2025

Join the Bean Revolution! Discover innovative ideas that challenge today’s food system and explore how humble beans can lead the way toward sustainability, healthy soils, and community empowerment.

TICKET ON SALE Wednesday 9th July

What’s on the Agenda?

1. A New Food Laboratory Step into a dynamic space where we reimagine food production. Our laboratory isn’t just for experts—it’s a creative hub where innovators, farmers, chefs, and community members spill the beans on a food system that nourishes people and the planet.
2. Fixing Soil Nitrogen & Enhancing Soil Health Learn how beans, with their natural nitrogen-fixing abilities, can transform tired soils into fertile grounds. Our demonstrations will explore how naturally enhancing soil quality benefits soil health, crop resilience, the environment and our community.
3. Taking Control of Your Protein Explore how moving to beans for protein not only supports a healthier lifestyle for human beans but also returns power to consumers. Engage with expert beans on alternative protein sources that challenge the conventional meat-centric narrative.
4. Democratizing Food Production Be part of a movement that puts food production in the hands of every human bean. From community gardens to open-source agricultural practices, we’re discussing methods to make food production accessible, sustainable, and self-governed.
5. Free Food, Community Control, and a Mindset Shift Imagine a world where food isn’t just a commodity but a common resource. We will explore community control of food and a shift in how we value and share nourishment.
6. Saved Beans for 2026 Explore long-term commitment to preserving heirloom and resilient bean varieties. Our “Saved Beans for 2026” initiative is a seed-saving and sharing project that ensures the bean legacy endures—and thrives for future generations.
7. The Climatarian Shift Discover how —enjoying beans once a week instead of meat—can make a powerful statement for the planet. This climatarian shift is a stepping stone to reducing our carbon footprint while embracing diverse, plant-based diets.

Bean Survival Training

In the past few months, the Bean Team has been sharing organic bean seeds and soil with lots of people. Now the beans are beginning to grow and GROW 🙂

Do the guardians of the beans need a little help? We are delighted to welcome Billy Jo, who is an organic farmer on Leagh Farm in Ballyduff to answer questions about all the aspects of growing these little treasure beans!

What happens next? Can I keep them indoors? How do I transfer them? Where is the best place to grow them outside? How much soil do they need? Do they need supports?

There are lots of questions and it will be nice to meet up and chat about the beans.

Don’t forget to let us know if you would like to join the Ballybunion Bean Festival WhattsApp group for more support.

We are running a growing group at the Barna Way every Wednesday from 4 to 6pm for anyone else who would like to help and learn.