Milwaukee Irish Fest hosts
world-class entertainment

MILWAUKEE IRISH FEST, the world’s largest Irish culture festival, this month will fill the city’s lakefront festival grounds with sounds of the Emerald Isle produced by musicians from around the globe.

The more than 130,000 local, national and international visitors expected for the 26th annual festival Aug. 17-20 again will be treated to a showcase of Irish music, history, dance, drama, sports and culture at Maier Festival Park (Summerfest grounds).

“Capturing the many facets of Irish culture is what the festival is all about,” said Jane Anderson, executive director of Irish Fest. “This is a stand-out year filled with cultural exhibits and musical features that authentically bring the essence of Ireland and its heritage to Milwaukee.”

Traditional and New Celtic Music

Visitors will experience and abundance of new, as well as traditional music. The Celtic Roots Stage is a festival highlight this year hosting the Nova Scotia Showcase. The Showcase comes to Milwaukee Irish Fest through a recent partnership between the festival and the Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage.

Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton is world renowned for its Celtic-inspired musicians, singers and songwriters, and eight of them will appear on the Celtic Roots Stage.

Nova Scotia entertainers scheduled to perform are Beoloch, J.P. Cormier, Buddy MacDonald, Jerry Holland, The Cottars, Dave Gunning, Mary Jane Lamond and Dave MacIsaac. In addition to daily performances, some of these musicians will participate together each night in a traditional Nova Scotia Kitchen Party. During the week leading up to the festival, the musicians will also serve as instructors of Cape Breton-style music and song courses at the Irish Fest Summer School at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee campus. Visit irishfest.com for a complete schedule of classes and registration details.

Other parts of Canada also will be in the musical spotlight, bringing a variety of sounds and styles. Groups from Quebec will include Le Vent du Nord, fusing traditional music and a subtle, modern style; Quagmyre, combining musical virtuosity with energetic step dancing, and Enter The Haggis, fusing Celtic, bluegrass and rock, with elements of Latin, blues and funk.

Several fan favorites return

Irish music legends Micheal O’Suilleabhain, composer and pianist from the University of Limerick, and Mel Mercier, accomplished bohdran and bones musician, team up this year to deliver a foot-stomping performance. Other popular headliners returning include Gaelic Storm, back with music from their new CD Bring Yer Wellies; Tommy Makem, singer, storyteller and actor, and the Makem and Spain Brothers. Another favorite, The Irish Rovers, return to the festival for the first time since 2000.

Visitors looking for a combination of music, dance and theater will love Ragús, a fast-moving group often referred to as the Riverdance of the the Aran Islands. The Bridies, one of Ireland’s most popular contemporary bands, featuring former Lord of the Dance fiddlers Brenda Curtin and Maire Egan, also will return to Irish Fest. Tom Sweeney, who wrote and sang the Milwaukee Irish Fest 25th anniversary song last year, returns with traditional Irish and children’s music. Danny Doyle will bring his ballads, history and stories of Ireland to Irish Fest once again.

Two of the hottest new traditional Irish music bands – Grada and the David Munnelly Band – are sure to have people dancing in the aisles. Grada consists of five talented young musicians who perform with fiddle, bohdran, guitar, bass, flutes and whistles. David Munnelly, critically acclaimed for his accordion talent, and his David Munnelly Band, bring new depth to traditional music, drawing inspiration from the Irish-American dance hall scene of the Roaring ‘20s.

Cultural Pavilion

The Cultural Pavilion has something for everyone. The literary corner will feature renowned Irish literature and literary figures including Malachy McCourt, bestselling New York Times author of A Monk Swimming. Those with a green thumb may be interested in the More Than 40 Shades of Green: The Diverse Landscape of Ireland exhibit illustrating the flora of Ireland. Also at the pavillion are Prehistoric Music Ireland, an organization devoted to prehistoric Irish musical instruments, and Mary O’Flaherty, one of the last traditional knitters from the Aran Islands in County Galway.

Other activities and events include traditional Irish dancing; freckle, red hair and baking contests; sports – including tug of war, currach racing and hurling – and Irish cuisine. The annual Liturgy for Peace & Justice will be celebrated by Archbishop Timothy Dolan at 9:30 a.m. Sunday in the Marcus Amphitheatre.

Irish Fest hours are 5 - 10 p.m. Aug. 17; 4 p.m. -midnight Aug. 18; noon - midnight Aug. 19 and 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Åug. 20. The festival closes with “The Scattering” at 9:30 p.m. Sunday followed by fireworks at 10:30 p.m. Admission is $5 on Thursday. On other days, it is $12 for adults, $8 for seniors (60+) and no charge for children 12 and under.

For additional information, including scheduling and special ticket offers, call 414-476-3378 or visit irishfest.com.