Irish Fest opens
We offer tips for enjoying the festival through the weekend.
The Irish diaspora sent the children of Éire across the Atlantic Ocean to Canada as well as the United States. So fittingly, the annual Celtic hooley that is Milwaukee’s Irish Fest will have a strong Canadian flavor this weekend.
Irish Fest takes place Thursday through Sunday at Maier Festival Park. In tribute, a number of local landmarks will turn their lights green, including the U.S. Bank Center, Harley-Davidson Museum, Mitchell Park Domes and Chase Bank Tower.
A few suggestions for enjoying the fest:
❚ Thursday’s budget-priced preview night ($5) includes fan favorites Red Hot Chilli Pipers plus Shreem X Celtic Remixing from DJ Jay Andrews, as well as more traditional Irish musicians.
❚ The Nova Scotia Showcase features top Celtic music performers from that Canadian province throughout the fest.
❚ Fiddlers Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy bring their children along for family band shows Friday through Sunday.
❚ Gaelic Storm, We Banjo 3 and Green Fields of America are among many bands that perform Friday through Sunday.
❚ It’s not a real Irish festival without harps, so take in melodious moments at The Shanley Foundation Harp Stage.
❚ Dance lovers can enjoy performances by the Trinity, Caledonian Scottish, Glencastle, McMenamin, Cashel Dennehy, Beglan, Kinsella and other groups.
❚ The Cultural Pavilion offers a stunning variety of displays, including an exhibit developed by the Irish government on the impact of Irish people on Latin American countries.
❚ The Kilted Chef, a.k.a. Acadian food ambassador Alain Bossé, headlines
Irish Fest’s Celtic Kitchen with demonstrations Friday through Sunday.
❚ The Liturgy for Peace and Justice is celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Sunday by Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki. Gates open at 8 a.m. People who donate a non-perishable food item before 11 a.m. Sunday will receive free admission to the festival.