Christmas & New Year at Villa Rose Hotel & Spa
Christmas Party Nights, the Back Lane Christmas Market & More in Ballybofey
Christmas builds slowly around Villa Rose. It starts with the town lighting up and the Back Lane Christmas Market bringing everyone out onto the street, and it carries through to December, when Villa Rose fills with tables of colleagues and old friends, dressed up, unwinding, dancing till late. Here's everything happening this year, in one place.
The Ballybofey Back Lane Christmas Market
Saturday 15th & Saturday 22nd November 2026
Before the parties start, there's the market. The Back Lane Christmas Market returns to Ballybofey for another year of local crafters and artists, food and coffee stalls, street performers, and choir music drifting down the lane - Ballybofey at its most festive, and free for all to wander through.
Saturday 15th November: The big one - the town's Christmas lights switch-on and the McElhinney's Christmas Window Reveal both happen on the day, so expect the whole town out for it.
Saturday 22nd November: The next weekend brings the market back for round two - same stalls, same atmosphere, one more chance to get ahead on Christmas shopping from local makers.
Pop into Villa Rose on either day for a bite to eat, a coffee and a warm-up by the fire in The Forge Bar in between browsing the stalls.
If you're a crafter, a food vendor or something else and would like to exhibit at our market, contact groupsalesdirector@gallengroup.com
Christmas Party Nights
Friday 11th & Saturday 12th December 2026
The Villa Rose Christmas Party Night is a fixture for local businesses and groups looking to properly close out the year - a table booked, drinks flowing, and a band and DJ to see the night through.
The evening runs:
6.45pm - Arrival & Drinks Reception (mulled wine or bubbly)
7.30pm - Sit down
8pm - Four-course dinner
Music - Beef Steak Dancers, DJ to follow
Dinner Only €55 per person - arrival drinks, four-course dinner, band & DJ
Stay the Night Make it an overnight stay in a Double Room, bed & breakfast included:
Friday 11th December - €129 per room
Saturday 12th December - €149 per room
Whether you're booking a table for the office or a few spots with friends, this is the one for a proper Christmas night out in Donegal - book early, as both dates fill fast.
T: +353 (0)74 913 2266 E: info.vr@gallengroup.com
Christmas Candlelight Variety Spectacular
Thursday 17th December 2026
Step into the warmth and elegance of the season for an evening of candlelight, fine dining, and exceptional live entertainment. A three-course dinner comes first, followed by a two-hour variety show from some of Ireland's most celebrated performers - a night out with friends, a date night, or a family celebration, all in one.
Featuring: Patrick Feeney · Sandy Kelly · The Ennis Brothers · Jessica McKean · Seán Costello · The Show Band Show (featuring Keith & Lorraine McDonald)
The evening runs:
6.30pm - Doors open
7.30pm - Three-course dinner
9.15pm - Show begins (approx. 2 hours)
Three-Course Candlelit Dinner & Show - €69 per person
Extend the evening with a Bed & Breakfast stay, or treat someone to a ticket as a gift they'll remember well past Christmas.
One Last Table - New Year's Eve Dining at Fara's Restaurant
Wednesday 31st December 2026
We're not trying to own your New Year's Eve. We just want to make sure your year ends with a bloody good dinner.
Take your table at Fara's before the rest of the night begins. Bubbles waiting when you sit down. Something from the kitchen before you've even opened the menu. A three-course dinner made for the occasion.
Then midnight is yours. Meet your friends. Find the party. Head home together, or stay out until the first morning of the year. Either way - the year ends properly, around a table worth sitting at.
New Year's Eve Dinner - €55 per person Bubbles on arrival · Bread & Irish butter · Kitchen snacks · Three-course dinner
McConnell's Irish Beef Sirloin - €10 supplement
Reservations from 5.30pm to 9pm, with tables arriving throughout the evening.
T: +353 (0)74 913 2266 E: info.vr@gallengroup.com
