Tips for Attending an Irish Festival
Join me live at Iowa Irish Fest in 2024!
I'll be in the Tour & Travel Workshop area speaking Saturday about solo women's travel and Sunday on crafting your Irish adventure.
Irish Festivals: Where the Craic is Mighty
Irish festivals are filled with music, banter, tasty food, and plenty of fun.
Sure, you're not in Ireland – but it's as close as you can get without a passport!
find an Irish festival near you
What You Can Expect at an Irish Festival
Irish and Celtic festivals are great celebrations of culture and heritage- and they are family friendly! You'll hear terrific bands, find some wonderful shops with artisan items, taste some authentic (and some not so authentic) Irish food, and probably learn a fair bit about Irish history and culture.
Many festivals will have an area for genealogy, tents for storytelling and Irish language, a travel section, and a fun spot just for the kids with crafts, games, and stages.
Tips for Making the Most of an Irish Festival
After deciding which Irish festival to visit begin by looking at their website. Some festivals are huge (like Milwaukee Irish Fest) and will take days to see everything. Others are small (like Weston Irish Fest near Kansas City) and feel like a village festival.
Decide what bands and activities are most important to you, then plan around those, keeping in mind that there is likely a whole lot you are going to miss. Irish festivals always have plenty to keep you occupied!
Don't forget comfortable shoes, a bag you won't mind carrying all day, a hat and sunscreen, and a water bottle.
Accommodations
Arrange your accommodations in advance- these festivals (even the small ones) attract thousands of people!
Often the festival will have an arrangement with local hotels, so refer to the official website for that. The great thing about the host hotel is that the bands are often there, too- and you may just catch a session in the hotel bar after the festival closes for the evening!
Tip: Many Irish festivals usually don't begin until late morning and they can run until midnight. Make sure your accommodation is someplace you can relax before & after the fun.
Traveling in Ireland podcast episode 220
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