Milwaukee Irish Fest Returns to take-and-make Irish crafts and the the Lakefront August 20-22 for Leprechaun Village. The take-and-make Irish craft toolkits will be available its 40th Celebration throughout the weekend to grab and either make at nearby picnic tables or to bring A few festivals are returning in Milwaukee home with you. Explore the brand-new this summer and we are so thrilled that playground and a variety of interactive Milwaukee Irish Fest is one of them! demonstrations. Be sure not to miss all of Milwaukee Irish Fest is back and will the family-friendly entertainment at the celebrate their 40th anniversary August 20- newly renovated Cedar Crest Children's 22 at the Henry Maier Festival Park along Stage, which features everything from the lakefront. musical performances to puppetry and more! Different from years past, this year’s parades will be spontaneous, in order to limit crowding, and will occur on Saturday and Sunday of the festival. Think of it like a flash mob, but parade style! So be on the The three-day festival will feature more than lookout as each parade is sure to catch your 50 entertainment acts ranging from Irish eyes, ears, and imagination! dance to traditional Irish, folk, rock, and even bluegrass music. This year’s festival And if you’re feeling a little hungry, Irish shines a light on the rich musical traditions Fest has over 35 food locations throughout brought over from the Celtic nations across the grounds - from Irish cuisine to American the centuries with its theme: The Spirit of food menu items, plus desserts, such as ice Irish America. View the full lineup at cream, pastries and more! irishfest.com/lineup. Family Fun at Irish Fest August 5 General Meeting Irish Fest is a family-friendly festival, and Our August 5 General meeting will again be there are many activities and entertainment held at O’Donoghue’s, 13225 W for the whole family to enjoy! While parts of Watertown Plank at 7 pm. Food available the festival may be a little different this year for purchase at the bar. We will have a due to COVID-19 mitigation efforts, there raffle will still be plenty of ways to have a CelticMKE director Mike Mitchell will be memorable festival experience! giving an Irish Fest update. Just past the rainbow and castle are fun The 2021-22 Board will be elected via a activities, such as the Lili-Putt mini golf, voice vote. Don’t forget to show your Irish pride and purchase and view additional ways to save check out the shopping areas at Irish Fest! some green. Slainte! There is something for everyone - Irish- themed clothing, jewelry, home decor, Milwaukee Irish Fest is opening two hours imported goods and treats, official Irish Fest earlier on Friday, August 20, with gates gear, and more. opening at 2:00 pm. The festival is open Friday from 2pm to Midnight, Saturday Health and Safety from 12 pm to Midnight, and Sunday Irish Fest can’t wait to greet you with from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm, with a Mass 100,000 welcomes and celebrate their love service starting at 9:30 a.m. at the for Irish and Celtic culture together, in Amphitheater. The South Gate will open at person! Irish Fest wants you to have an 8:30 for the Mass service. More info at enjoyable experience AND feel safe when irishfest.com. visiting! CELEBRATING THE SPIRIT OF IRISH Irish Fest recommends visiting the Health AMERICA and Safety updates page on their website to at the 40th Milwaukee Irish Fest learn about their health and safety protocols, as well as any significant Milwaukee Irish Fest, the world’s largest changes that will be implemented at the celebration of Celtic music and culture, has festival. For example, Irish Fest is going released its highly anticipated 2021 lineup, cashless this year. Payment options will which features more than 50 entertainment include credit cards, debit cards, Google acts, including several Irish American Pay, Apple Pay, etc. Irish Fest will have 7 artists. The 40th festival will spotlight the cash-to-card machines placed rich music and heritage of Irish America. throughout the grounds so you can convert your cash into prepaid debit cards Thanks to the hundreds of musicians and that can be used not only anywhere inside entertainers performing each year, guests the grounds, but also anywhere in the U.S. are treated to the range of styles within the where MasterCard is accepted. Irish Fest Celtic music genre. Traveling exhibits and will also have several sanitizing stations special shows have brought artwork, installed throughout the grounds and artifacts, and experts in everything from enhanced cleaning protocols in place. View Celtic food to ancient language to the more information at irishfest.com/updates festival grounds. Irish Fest Admission & Hours This year Milwaukee Irish Fest is Tickets to the festival are $21 per day, highlighting the spirit of the music and general admission. Irish Fest encourages traditions that were brought over from the you to buy your tickets online, in advance, Emerald Isle and other Celtic nations across to avoid crowded areas outside the Gate the centuries with its theme of celebrating ticket windows and to get inside the festival Irish America. Irish America has had a grounds safer and quicker! Children 12 and significant impact on American music and under are free and do not require a ticket for culture and that impact will be showcased entry. Go to irishfest.com/tickets to throughout the festival weekend. THE MUSICAL BEAT OF IRISH AMERICA Artists from around America, who either moved from Ireland or are American artists playing Irish music, will treat audiences to everything from traditional music to contemporary music. Take a look below at some of the many artists that will be performing at the festival. Ashley Davis Band They have a deep gratitude for their fans, Think Joni Mitchell meets contemporary but it’s best summed up in the words of Celtic and you’ll get something like the Patrick Murphy: “The fans are the ones that creative force of Ashley Davis, an American have given us this life. We’re here for them.” singer-songwriter whose musical imagination invites the world into her John Whelan and Brian Conway eclectic sphere. Sher launched her career Seven-time all-Ireland champion John under the mentorship of artists like Whelan is one of the world’s best living Irish Clannad’s Moya Brennan, Davis released button accordion players. He has been a fan her first Irish album, “Down By the Sea,” in favorite for over three decades. 2011—a unique iteration of Irish folk Born in 1961 to parents from County Tyrone distinguished by her background in folk. in Northern Ireland, Brian Conway first Cherish the Ladies studied with Limerick-born fiddle player Cherish the Ladies has performed together Martin Mulvihill. as a group almost as long as Milwaukee Brian remains faithful to the rich tradition Irish Fest has been around. Over 35 years handed down to him. of making music together, and now they’ll John Whelan has performed at Milwaukee be performing at the 40th Milwaukee Irish Irish Fest over five times and Brian Conway Fest together. has made a few appearances over the years. Under the leadership of All-Ireland flute and whistle champion Joanie Madden, named Jimmy Keane and Mick Moloney by The Irish Voice Newspaper as one of the Jimmy’s accomplishments are far reaching. Top 25 most influential Irish Americans of He has achieved astonishing and the past quarter century, these ladies create unprecedented success in competitive an evening that includes a spectacular playing, having won five consecutive All- blend of virtuoso instrumental talents, Ireland titles on the piano accordion. beautiful vocals, captivating arrangements, Dr. Mick Moloney is a traditional Irish and stunning step dancing. musician, originally from Limerick. Mick Moloney combines the careers of folklorist, Gaelic Storm musicologist, arts presenter and advocate, Gaelic Storm has been a part of the festival professional musician, and professor of for over two decades. Their latest release, music and Irish studies. He played a vital Go Climb a Tree, has never sounded more part in the folk-song revival in the 1960s and representative of themselves as musicians later moved to America in the 1970s. and as live performers. Both musicians have appeared multiple times at Milwaukee Irish Fest since the Volunteer For Irish Fest 2021 for 1980s. the Shamrock Club Rory Makem Want to get in free to Irish Fest? A seasoned performer with over 30 years on the road, Rory has toured extensively We could use your help! We will have a with The Makem Brothers, and the Makem Shamrock Club retail booth and a cultural and Spain Brothers and for 17 years played booth. Many volunteer shifts are available, guitar with his father, Tommy Makem. most about 3 hours. All will include a pass for FREE admission! And after your shift is At his best on stage, Rory captivates his over, you can enjoy the rest of the festival. audiences with charisma, passion for the songs, poetry, history, humor, and skilled Shifts will be 2 pm to Midnight on Friday musicianship. for Retail, 2 pm to 7 pm in Cultural; Noon IRISH DANCE to midnight in Retail, and noon to 7 pm Milwaukee Irish Fest also features multiple in Cultural on Saturday; and on Sunday, performances throughout the weekend from 11 am to 10 pm for Retail, and 11 am to 6 Midwest dance schools, as dance plays a pm on Sunday for Cultural major part in the history and culture of Use our Signup Genius app to give us your Ireland and Irish America.