The festival has attracted some of the biggest names internationally in folk and traditional Irish music such as Billy Bragg, Donovan, Janis Ian, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Martin Carthy, Maria McKee, Fairport Convention, Eddi Reader, Sarah Jarosz, Ralph McTell, Gilbert O’Sullivan, Steeleye Span and Levellers.
Notable Irish acts who have performed include Glen Hansard, Stephen Rea, Matt Molloy, Sean Keane, Aoife O’Donovan, Frankie Gavin, Séamus Begley, Damien Dempsey, Declan O’Rourke, Paul Brady, Mundy, Mick Flannery, Maura O’Connell, Finbar Furey, The Dublin Legends, Clannad, Altan, Beoga, Martin Hayes, Kíla, and Stockton's Wing.
[citation needed] Notable artists who have performed at TradFest in Fingal include Janis Ian, Ralph McTell, Frankie Gavin, Stephen Rea, Liam Ó Maonlaí, Stockton's Wing and Cathy Jordan.
Beoga did a naked photo shoot for the festival before going on to fame for their part in Ed Sheeran's "Galway Girl" and performing on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury in 2017. Notable concerts include a Clannad reunion at Christ Church Cathedral in 2011 and The Dubliners celebrating their 50th anniversary at the same venue in 2012, just three months before Barney McKenna passed away.
They were subsequently commissioned to record the folk song "Two Sisters" by Sam Shepard for his play Ages of the Moon, which opened in New York and Dublin, starring actors Sean McGinley and festival patron Stephen Rea.
In 2024 the festival featured a new TradFest musical commission Ocean Child by composer Neil Martin and performed by Actor, Stephen Rea commemorating the 170th anniversary of the tragic sinking of The RMS Tayleur, off Lambay Island, also known as the first Titanic.
It was replaced by an online version, filmed at Dublin Castle and featuring a number of high-profile Irish artists.. Afro Celt Sound System, Altan, Aoife Scott, Andy Irvine & Donal Lunny, Aoife O'Donovan, Barbara Dickson, Bellowhead, Beoga, Big Country, Billy Bragg, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, Cara Dillon, Carlos Núñez Muñoz, Cathy Davey, Cherish the Ladies, Clannad, Damien Dempsey, Danu, Declan O'Rourke, Declan Sinnott, Dervish, Dhol Foundation, Dick Gaughan, Donovan, Dougie MacLean, Duke Special, Eddi Reader, Eleanor McEvoy, Fairport Convention, Finbar Furey, Frances Black, Frankie Gavin, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Glen Hansard, Hazel O'Connor, Hothouse Flowers, Iarla O’Lionaird, In Tua Nua, Judy Collins, Julie Fowlis, Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman, Janis Ian, Judy Collins, Kíla, Lankum, Loah, Levellers, Luka Bloom, Lúnasa, Maria McKee, Martin Carthy & Eliza Carthy, Martin Hayes, Maura O'Connell, Mick Flannery, Mundy, Oysterband, Paddy Keenan, Paul Brady, Ralph McTell, Sarah Jarosz, Séamus Begley, Seth Lakeman, Sharon Shannon, Steeleye Span, Stephen James Smith, Stockton's Wing, Sweeney's Men, Teddy Thompson, T with the Maggies, The Dubliners, The Fureys, The Undertones, The Young 'Uns, Turin Brakes.