19th Annual June Irish, Celtic and American Festival Focus

13^th Motor City Irish Fest
June 6-8

Featuring 18 bands/performers playing Irish and Celtic music in two tents, including The Kilkenny’s. Sina Theil, Elias Alexander and More. The family-friendly event features a Cultural Tent exploring the history and culture of Ireland, and activities such as traditional Irish dancing, featuring six local Irish Dance Schools. Also offered are dancing lessons, Irish football demonstrations, Pipe Bands, a .001-K Run, a Kid’s Tent, vendors of Irish/Irish-themed goods, clothing, beer stations, and whiskey tastings.
Festival hours are Friday – 5 – 11 pm, Saturday – Noon – 11 pm, Sunday – Noon Mass, Festival from 1 – 7 pm. Greenmead Historic Park in Livonia, MI.

23rd Annual Penn-Mar Irish Festival
June 21st

The Penn-Mar Irish Festival returns June 21 with a new layout, as the festival moves to Pheasant Run Greenhouse & Garden Center. Enjoy traditional and contemporary Irish music, dance groups, cultural talks and living history exhibits, Irish food, a free children’s activity area, and a variety of quality vendors offering Irish gifts, clothing, jewelry, music, books, pottery, photography, stained glass, and more.

The lineup features Albannach, Cas Ceol, Cassie and Maggie, Clann Redmond, Diddley Idols, Enda Reilly, Runa, and Tartan Terrors, along with Susquehanna Pipes & Drums, McGinley School of Irish Dance, Ni Riain School of Irish Dance, and Oh! Gills Irish Dancers.

The children’s area will again offer free crafts, games, face painting, and more.

On loan to the festival this year is “Blazing a Trail: The Lives and Legacies of Irish Diaspora Women” courtesy of EPIC, The Irish Emigration Museum. This exhibition highlights the lives and legacies of 21 Irish diaspora women in the fields of politics, humanitarianism, women’s suffrage, the arts, the sciences, and sport. 

Some festival seating is provided, but lawn chairs and blankets are welcome. Pets and smoking are prohibited.

Pheasant Run is located in southern York County, Pennsylvania, near I-83 Exit 8. Look for parking signs along Susquehanna Trail and visit the website for a map and parking info. Shuttles will run a continuous loop between two nearby off-site lots and the venue. Handicapped parking available on site. 

Festival hours are 10:30am-9pm. You can also follow updates on Facebook and Instagram (#PennMarIrish). For discounted advance tickets and details, visit PennMarIrish@gmail.com.

4th Annual Holland Waterfront Celtic Festival & Highland Games
June 20-21

West Michigan Irish and Scottish (and others) will gather at the Ottawa County Fairgrounds on Ottawa Beach Road in Holland, Michigan for the 4th Annual Holland Fest & Games, featuring 18 Irish and Celtic bands on two stages over two days, including Stone Clover, Ben Traverse & the Little River String Band, The Leprechons, Barley Saints, CrossBow, Brother Crowe, Mudmen, Mona Shore Fiddlers, Kennedy’s Kitchen, On the Lash, Whorled, Ironwood, Toby Bresnahan, Black Murray, Stones Unturned, Uneven Ground, Belfast Gin, Conklin Ceili Band.  

The Kalamazoo Pipe and Drum band will perform throughout the day Saturday, while ten hourly performances of Irish and Highland dance demonstrations take place on the Dance Stage. Scottish Pipe and Drum bands, area dance companies Irish and Highland dance demonstrations; the kids’ area has games, coloring, temporary tattoos, and more

A full schedule of Highland athletic games will begin at 9:30 am on Saturday, June 21, featuring 60+ men and women athletes competing in nine events including caber-tossing, hammer-throwing, and other feats of strength.

20 Scottish Clans will take up residence for the day in the Scottish clan village and participate in the Blessing of the Tartans at noon. Historic reenactors Hawk and Jill Van Lew will set up a historic cabin, demonstrate Celtic Crafts, and teach tomahawk throwing to visitors.

 A dozen ethnic food tents/trucks will ensure no one goes hungry, while more than 20 vendors of Celtic clothing and other merchandise will please shoppers. Kilts, Aran sweaters and other Irish & Scottish clothing, art, collectibles and goods will be available for sale.
A cash bar is open both Friday and Saturday featuring sponsor Guinness, Guinness Extra Stout, Guinness “0”, Harp, Smithwick’s, Magners and other beers, wines, coolers, seltzers and more, and a fully stocked Whiskey Bar.

New expanded hours on Friday Happy Hour – 4-6 PM w/ reduced drink prices. Friday 21 and older” Ceilidh. Friday tickets are $20 and include free return admission on Saturday as a bonus. Saturday tickets are just $12 per person, with those 15 and younger admitted free on Saturday due to the generosity of local sponsors.

Ottawa County Fairgrounds 1286 Ottawa Beach Road Holland, MI 49424

Info@hollandCelticFestival.org   www.Facebook.com/HollandCelticFestival

48th Ohio Scottish Games & Celtic Festival
June 27-28

From Friday’s Calling of the Clans Event to Saturday’s Grande Parade and Twilight Tattoo, this is one of Cleveland’s must unique and fun festivals. Returning in 2025 is the very popular Knights of Valour Extreme Jousting Troup, Ohio School of Falconry, Border Collie Demonstration, British Cars, Genealogy, Clan Exhibits, Workshops, Whiskey tasting, and over fifty food and merchandise vendors. New in 2025, in the children’s area, is the Great Lakes National Puppet Theater.

Highland Games will include highland athletics, kilted mile, haggis throw, pipe bands, highland dancers, harpers & fiddlers. The renaissance period will be well represented in our Renaissance Village by the Barony of the Cleftlands, Cleveland’s Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), who is dedicated to the research and re-creation of pre-seventeenth century skills, arts, combat, culture, and employing knowledge of history. The American Revolutionary War period will be represented through a living history by the 42^nd Highland Regiment of Foot from Marion, OH.

Music entertainment will be provided by The Devil’s Brigade (Formerly the American Rogues), Father, Son & Friends, The Prodigals, On the Lash, Jenny & the Weazels, Karen & Alistair, Gary West, Andrew McManus Trio and the Brass Band of the Western Reserve. Dance group will include the Leneghan School of Irish Dance, the Brady Campbell School of Irish Dance and the Cleveland Hts. chapter of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society.
Gates will open 4:45 PM on Friday, June 27. The night will include our “Calling of the Clans” torch lighting event at 9:45 PM.

Saturday Highland Games, gates open at 8 AM for early morning competitions, the Grand Parade begins at noon. The Twilight Tattoo 6:00 PM includes the massed pipes & and drums & performances by harp, fiddle, highland dancers. Info: ohioscottishgames.com

40th Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival
July 18-20

Featuring: The High Kings, Ally the Piper, Cherish the Ladies, Scythian, Trasna, The Narrowbacks, New Barleycorn, Brigid’s Cross, The Prodigals, Seamus Kennedy, Crawley & Sofranko, Drowsy Lads, Reverie Row, Custy & Mac, Gould & Yeager, The East Coasters & More.
Plus: West Side Irish American Club Pipe Band, Irish American Club East Side Pipe Band and the 87th Cleveland Pipe Band.

There are a variety of activities for the whole family including a children’s area with activities and crafts, camogie games, and lots of Irish history and culture to round out the whole weekend.

The festival will continue to be cashless for on-site admission, food, beverages, and festival merchandise. Parente said the progressive move is to help improve the guest experience and offer secure transactions. Other vendors may choose to accept cash payments for their merchandise.

Plus: Cultural and Children’s areas, Pipers, Dancers, Sports, Great food, beverage and treats. FREE Parking.

Berea Fairgrounds: Friday 5-11, Saturday 1 to 11, Sunday 1-10. Mass will be celebrated at 11:30 a.m. on the 21st.

Please note that the 2025 Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival will be a cashless event. Info/Tickets: clevelandirish.org

38th Dublin Irish Fest
August 1-3

Explore one of the top Irish festivals in the U.S., drawing over 100,000 guests to Dublin, Ohio each year with 7 music stages, 60 acts, and more than 800 performers. The Dublin Irish Festival was voted in the top three for “Best Cultural Festival of 2023” by USA Today Readers.

This year’s headliners include Gaelic Storm, Solas, Kerryvore, Tannahil Weavers, The Stepcrew, Gadan featuring Enda Scahill & Hilary Klug, Open the Door for Three, The Jeremiahs, Ally the Piper, Cassie & Maggie, PoalaPhuca, Drowsy Lads, The Narrowbacks, Allison Lupton Band, Bastard Bearded Irishmen, and Bracken.

Families can enjoy crafts, contests, performances and dance instruction, athletics and competitions together at the Kids Highland Games, the Dublin Irish Festival 5K and Kids Dash, as well as the Irish Contest for all age groups that include the greenest eyes, reddest hair, and most freckles, the Pot O’ Gold Playland with more than 20 inflatables & activities and more.

Discover the richness of Celtic culture with literary & historical presentations & hands-on workshops at the three cultural stages; re-enactments of Ireland’s early days; Celtic canines and sheep herding demonstrations and genealogy out the offerings.

The festival is complete with over 90 shopping vendors and 30 food vendors.
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19th Iowa Irish Fest
August 1 – 3

Featuring: Skerryvore, Doolin, The Elders, Screaming Orphans, The Byrne Brothers, Aoife Scott, Colm & Laura Keegan, Seo Linn, Blame Not the Bard, Sorcha, Ballyheigue, Crowfoot Rakes and so many more will be traveling to Waterloo, Iowa for the Fest! New acts Michael Darcy & The Atlantic Tramps, Bernadette Morris, George Casey – Irish Comedian, Marita May O’Connell & The Lads of County Linn and more on six stages! Make sure to follow Iowa Irish Fest on Facebook to check out the full band list.

Check out the 2025 Iowa Irish Fest Spotify playlist, get the Iowa Irish Fest Ap at the Apple App and Google Play stores to view schedule of events, map, manage your classes/workshops and much more; on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/IowaIrishFest. Info/tickets: www.IowaIrishFest.com. The annual Iowa Irish Fest is organized by the Cedar Valley Irish Culture Association, an organization intended to foster and develop Irish fellowship and community outreach through Irish cultural events and programs. Lincoln Park area of downtown Waterloo, Tickets are on sale NOW!

Lakewood Arts Festival
August 2

Lakewood Arts Festival closes Detroit Avenue, between Belle to Arthur Avenues, to bring artists of all disciplines together, along with 15,000 collectors and art lovers. The juried festival hosts over 170 regional and national artists and makers displaying paintings, prints, photography, art glass, ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, fiber and more.

EAT ON THE STREET food court in front of the Lakewood Library on Detroit will offer a selection of the region’s best food trucks.

Festival proceeds fund an annual scholarship for Lakewood seniors continuing to art school. The event also funds grants for arts education and programming in the city. Recent awardees include H2O (Help to Others, middle-school students), The Barton Center (senior arts activities), The Beck Center for the Arts (Saturday programs) and Lakewood High School Art, Theater and Photography programs. Info: lakewoodartsfest.org.

18th Jamestown Regional Celtic Festival & Gathering of the Clans

Tuatha Déa, Emerald Isle, Celtic Creek, Step n Time, Waterhorse, The Fiddle Session, Plus: 30 Gathering of the Clans, 8 Pipe Bands, 30 Scottish Heavy Athlete, 30 Celtic & Craft Vendors, Great food, Beer & Wine Garden, Dancers, Kid’s Are w/ Clan Hunt. Info/Tickets: 96thHighlanders.com

Milwaukee Irish Fest
August 14-17

MIF’s four-day festival boasts over 18 stages of nonstop music, dance, and entertainment. Featuring: Cherish the Ladies, Skerryvore, Red Hot Chilli Pipers, The Fitzgeralds, Emma Langford, Drops of Green, and more. Don’t miss the return of Italian group Gadan, with banjo virtuoso Enda Scahill and renowned bluegrass fiddler and dancer Hillary Klug.

Discover the rising stars of the Irish and Celtic music scene: Gardiner Brothers, Garron Noone, and LÉDA are just a few of the many artists making their Irish Fest debut. Continuing its partnership with Dublin’s renowned TradFest, Irish Fest welcomes TradFest artists Bog Bodies and SuperCéilí.

Plus: Irish Fest Summer School, Claddagh Records, Gaeltacht, Cultural Village, Genealogy, Hedge School, workshops, Literary Corner, Theatre, Currach Races, Gaelic Football, Hurling, Shopping, Mass, Travel Ireland, so see irishfest.com for more info and highlights.

Tickets are available at the lowest price through June 30: get your tickets & save: irishfest.com, as well as even more highlights. 

26th Michigan Irish Music Fest
September 11-14

Featuring Ally the Piper, The Barley Saints, Blackthorn, Colm Keegan, Conklin Ceili Band, Crossbow, Elias Alexander, Goitse, Gotak, Ironwood, Lúnasa, The Langan Band, Old Blind Dogs, One for the Foxes, Runa, Seamus Kennedy, Ruth & Max Bloomquist, Shannon Lee, Skerryvore, Socks in the Frying Pan, The Peelers, Tony Bresnahan, Whorled, Ardan Academy of Irish Dance & More.

The Peelers, Tony Bresnahan, Whorled, Ardan Academy of Irish Dance & More.

Explore the Ward Music Archives, visit the traditional Wake House, discover Ireland’s county histories, and meet Celtic canines during Sunday’s dog showcase. Watch championship Irish dancers or join in the Saturday Ceili to learn social dancing yourself. 
Try your hand at the Irish language, traditional instruments, poetry, and song, with plenty of hands-on activities for all ages. Plus: Irish Market, Wee Ones Area, Feis, Sunday Mass, 

Tickets/Info/Updates: michiganirish.org. Children 12 & under are free but need a ticket. 
Held at Heritage Landing in downtown Muskegon, Michigan!