The 16th FANtastic Festival Focus Issue August 2023
- John O'Brien
- August 13, 2023
- Edited 5 months ago
Table of Contents
August 13, 2023
35th Dublin Irish Fest
August 4 – 6, 2023
More than 100,000 guests enjoy seven music stages, 65 acts, and more than 535 performers. There is truly something for everyone.
Featuring: Dervish, String Sisters, Old Blind Dogs, Gaelic Storm, Socks in the Frying Pan, Goitse, Talisk, Sliabh Notes, JigJam, Red Hot Chili Pipers, Young Dubliners, Scythian, Uncle Bard & The Dirty Bastards, Three Flew West, Drowsy Lads, The Fitzgeralds & Tempest.
More than 90 vendors with T-shirts, hats, and jewelry, along with kilts, photos and paintings of Ireland and a wide variety of glass and crystal items. Plus, more than 30 food vendors.
Discover the richness of Irish history and culture by tracing your roots in the Genealogy tent, meet authors, and hear literary and historical presentations. Enjoy hands-on fun at the Music and Workshop stages and visiting musical instrument crafters, learning to play the tin whistle, fiddle, flute, and harp.
Meet Irish breeds and their owners at the Celtic Canine area. Children have their own area at the festival featuring crafts and games. In addition, they can visit the Wee Folk Stage, which features entertainment including storytellers, music and dance for the younger crowd.
Save a little green: purchase tickets now. Save $10 when you purchase a weekend pass online or purchase a one-day ticket online and save $5. Children ages 10 & under are free. Seniors (60+), military and student guests can purchase a ticket online or at the festival for $20 (I.D. required at the festival). For more info: DublinIrishFestival.org, and follow the Festival on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Iowa Irish Fest
August 4-6
Featuring seven Stages, Irish Cultural Area, ShamRock N’ Run, High Nelly Bike Rally; Irish Dance, Music, Language & Culture Workshops; Whiskey Tasting; Celtic Vendors; Food & Drink; Family Fun & Learning Areas; Highland Games; Outdoor Catholic Mass on Sunday; Celtic Cruise Motorcycle Ride, and So Much More, in Downtown Waterloo.
www.IowaIrishFest.com
Lakewood Arts Festival
August 5
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. After the Festival, the Board will present $4,000 to the 2023 recipient. 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.
For more info: www.lakewoodartsfest.org.
16th Annual Jamestown Regional Celtic Festival Gathering of the Clans & Highland Games
August 25- 26
Friday’s “Kick-off Party” features the “Tuatha Dea” from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, 6p.m. to 9:30p.m. Saturday is Festival Day: 9:00a.m. to 10:00p.m., w eight Pipe Bands, seven Celtic bands, 25 Clans, The Scottish Heavy Athlete competing in seven events, Kid’s Area w mini–Kids Version Heavy Games, Scottish and Irish Dancers, retail vendors, great food at reasonable prices, and of course, a beer tent ,w Guinness, Smithwick’s & Bud Light on tap.
Saturday evening’s Ceilidh is 6:00p.m. to 9:30p.m., featuring the Mudmen from Canada. Mayville Lakeside Park, Mayville, New York. Tickets: www.96thhighlanders.com.
21st Kansas City Irish Fest
September 1-3
Featuring: The Elders, Gaelic Storm, Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Screaming Orphans, Mundy, Shane Hennessy, Neil Byrne, Aoife Scott, Talisk, The Henry Girls, The Wee Heavies, the Nashville Celts, Carswell & Hope, Ashley Davis, Eddie Delahunt & Friends, Flannigan’s Right Hook, St. Andrews Pipes & Drums, Mr. Stinky Feet aka Jim Cosgrove and many more
Plus: The All Irish Comedy Tour w Mick Thomas & Sean Finnerty (Friday & Saturday night). See www.kcirishfest.com for tickets and performers updates and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. See you at The Crown Center in downtown Kansas City!
Pittsburgh Irish Festival
September 8-10
Gaelic Storm, The Screaming Orphans, RUNA, Enda Reilly, Eileen Ivers, The Brigideens, Ally the Piper, The Bow Tides, Bastard Bearded Irishman, Ryan Young, The Low Kings, Donnie Irish, and The Wild Geese, and more who will all be headlining acts on various evenings and stages. Coming back for the third time after being a smashing a success at the past two Festivals is The Real Irish Comedy Tour who will be performing on Friday and Saturday night of the Fest.
Returning this year, a fifth stage presented by Five Farms Irish Cream where visitors can watch both professional and amateur bakers and chefs demonstrate the process of cooking and baking some delightful treats, most of which will feature Five Farms!
Carrie Blast Furnaces National Historic Landmark. Tickets are now available now. The complete 2023 Festival line-up, band bios, photos, and ticketing links can be found at pghirishfest.org.
Michigan Irish Music Festival
September 14 -17
The Michigan Irish Music Festival returns for four days of outstanding live music, culture, Irish food, beverages, shopping, and entertainment. MIMF is pleased to announce that Slide, Eileen Ivers, Slide, Sharon Shannon, Socks in the Frying Pan, One for the Foxes, Paddy Keenan, Malinda, Tossers, The Moxie Strings, Tallymoore, Colm & Laura Keegan, Blackthorn, Ian Gould, Kennedy’s Kitchen, Brother Crowe, Conklin Ceili Band, Black Murray, Enda Reilly, Crossbow, Ruth & Max Bloomquist, Barley Saints, Uneven Ground, Chelsea House Orchestra, Toby Bresnahan, Ardan Academy of Dance, and The Mona Shores Fiddlers and Doolin’ will be performing at the festival, and the return of Seamus Kennedy!
Look for some exciting changes and new activities at Irish Fest 2023. Continued improvements and a larger stage are on tap at the Grafton Street Area. Whiskey service will be available at our three main bars wirth craft cocktail options, and an expanded craft beer area. MIMF will feature two cultural stages and the Irish Store and Marketplace return for great “shopportunities.” Wee Ones’ activities will be available, as well as a variety of food and Irish fare in our Celtic Kitchen. On Sunday, Catholic mass will be held at 11 a.m.
The Michigan Irish Music Festival will showcase over 25 musical acts on multiple covered stages, on the shores of Muskegon Lake in downtown Muskegon. MIMF is offering discounted pricing on single-day tickets and four-day passes when purchased online. (Children 12 and under remain free.)
Advance tickets and passes for the Michigan Irish Music Festival will be available online starting in May. Stay tuned to the MIMF social media pages and website – www.michiganirish.org – for updates.
Pipes & Ale
April 6, 2024
Fundraiser for the 96th Highlanders Pipe & Drums., with Step N Time, and Catch N Release. Chautauqua Suites Hotel & Expo Center.
www.96th Highlanders.com
*John is a Founder and the Publisher and Editor of iIrish, an archivist, spokesman, emcee, Spoken Word presenter and author of five books, so far.
