Behind the Scenes: Upfront Returns to Listowel Harvest Racing Festival 2026
It's one of our favourite projects of the year and we're delighted to be back working with Listowel Race Company on the PR, creative campaign and marketing assets for the 168th Listowel Harvest Racing Festival, which takes place from 20 to 26 September 2026.
For Team Upfront, the festival is much more than a racing event. It's a week-long celebration of sport, style, entertainment and community, and we're proud to help bring that story to audiences across Ireland.
Lights, Camera... Listowel!
One of the highlights of this year's campaign has been producing the official festival video, which will be broadcast across television and social media in the coming weeks.
The opening sequence, featuring newly announced McElligotts Kia Ladies Day judges Frankie Foster and Aoife Dunican (The Style Bob), premiered this week, giving audiences their first glimpse of what's to come.
Frankie Foster and Aoife Dunican (the Style Bob) the judges of the Mc Kia Best Dressed Lady at Listowel Races on Friday 25th of September with sponsor Donal Lynch, McElligotts Tralee. Photo: neustock media
Behind the scenes, the campaign has been months in the making. Upfront's Orla Diffily has once again teamed up with DOP George Doyle (Neustock) and social media consultant Ger Mulvihill to develop a campaign that captures the unique atmosphere, colour and character that make Listowel one of Ireland's most iconic racing festivals.
Filming wraps next week, with the completed campaign set to launch shortly afterwards.
Managing the Festival Story
In addition to leading the creative campaign, Upfront is once again managing the festival's public relations programme along with its fashion events, including the prestigious McElligotts Kia Best Dressed Lady Competition, one of the standout style events on Ireland's racing calendar.
Fashion Takes Centre Stage
This year's judging panel brings together two well-known personalities from the worlds of fashion and racing.
Leading image consultant Aoife Dunican, founder of The Style Bob, joins presenter and content creator Frankie Foster as joint judges for the McElligotts Kia Best Dressed Lady Competition on Friday, 25 September.
Aoife is one of Ireland's best-known image consultants, a regular style columnist with the Business Post and fashion contributor across Irish media. Passionate about helping people dress with confidence while celebrating individuality, she brings a wealth of fashion expertise to the judging panel.
Frankie Foster has become one of the freshest faces in racing media, combining racing, fashion and travel content with an infectious enthusiasm that has attracted audiences well beyond traditional racing fans. After experiencing the unique atmosphere of Listowel for the first time last year with the Raceday TV team, he's looking forward to returning to soak up the festival once again while helping to crown this year's Best Dressed Lady.
Exceptional Prizes
Thanks to the continued support of title sponsors McElligotts Tralee and official co-sponsors Kia, the overall Best Dressed Lady winner will receive a luxurious week's holiday for two at the four-star Hotel Astoria in Sorrento, overlooking Italy's spectacular Amalfi Coast.
Now celebrating its 12th consecutive year supporting the competition, McElligotts continues to elevate one of Irish racing's most respected fashion events.
Additional prizes include:
€1,000 for Most Creative Headpiece
€500 for Most Contemporary Outfit
More Than Racing
The 168th Listowel Harvest Racing Festival promises another unforgettable week, combining top-class National Hunt and Flat racing with three fashion competitions, live music, entertainment and DJs, creating the warm, welcoming atmosphere that has become synonymous with Listowel.
As long-time partners of the festival, we're incredibly proud to play our part in telling its story each year and can't wait to share the finished campaign with you.
We'll see you in Listowel this September!
For festival information, tickets and corporate hospitality packages, visit www.listowelraces.ie.
Sponsor Comment
Declan O'Hara, Managing Director of McElligotts Tralee, said:
"We are delighted to once again sponsor Ladies Day at Listowel. With the arrival of so many stunning new Kia models, there has never been a better opportunity to showcase our range to guests who truly appreciate style and design. We look forward to another fantastic day celebrating racing, fashion and the unique atmosphere that makes Listowel so special."
Below are campaigns from 2024 and 2025.
