Photo by Barry Houlehen
The Dance Pavilion at Milwaukee Irish Fest
The Dance Pavilion at Milwaukee Irish Fest
Milwaukee Irish Fest is known for its music and dance and the vast array of vendors selling everything Irish and Irish-American from kitsch to cool, but there's another part of it that's definitely worth experiencing, and that's the cultural areas and happenings throughout the weekend. And no, I'm not talking about corny leprechaun 4-leaf clover and potatoes culture, but the real deal, from Ireland: theater, literature, politics, social dancing, traditional singing, poetry, art, and of course, whiskey and beer.
Let's start with the lessons, instruction, and demonstrations: what do you want to learn about, learn how to do, or maybe just take a stab at for fun?
How about learning to speak a little Irish? At the Irish Language Workshop Tent there are Irish lessons for absolute beginners like "Irish Language Phrases for Irish Fest" and "Fluent in Half an Hour", as well as discussions on Irish language literature and more.
At the Gaeltacht area (Gaeltacht means the areas of Ireland where the Irish language, Gaelic, is spoken), there are workshops on Sean-nós ("old style") singing and dance. Sean-nós singing is an unaccompanied style with lots of ornamentation and improvisation on phrasing and rhythm, much different than the more familiar Irish folksinging style, while Sean-nós dance is a style that's more casual and improvised than the competition step dancing (of which you'll see performances all over the grounds from local and state dance schools and groups).
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At the Hedge School (the name refers to the secret schools from when much of Irish culture was suppressed in Ireland), you'll find discussions on everything from mythology to sports and politics to movies. Some of the one-hour classes this year are "Woman and Superwoman: Interpretations of Brigid" (the saint-slash-pagan-deity), "The Black and Irish Experience", "Irish Citizenship and Passports Information", "Irish Futures - Future Referendums on Irish Unification", "The Irish Civil War and the Spectre of Ireland in Martin McDonagh's 'The Banshees of Inisherin'", and "Poetry Hour". And here's one I wanted to hit (and might have regretted), but I have a gig: "You're Never Too Old: The Bagpipe for the Adult Learner".
Like to dance? Then you'll want to hit the Dance Pavilion, where there's dancing all weekend with live band accompaniment and a dance floor. The two dance styles are céilí (pronounced KAY-lee) and set dancing, and don't worry, you don't need to know how, because there are lessons for both of them throughout the day.
Ireland has long been known for its playwrights and theater, and Milwaukee Irish Fest has always included theater in the Cultural Area. Some of the plays this year at the Theater Pavilion include "In the Shadow of the Glen" by the legendary Irish playwright J. M. Synge, the contemporary "The Wheelchair on My Face" by Sonya Kelly, a comedy about the experience of a girl getting eyeglasss (and her sight back), and two editions of "A Series of Tiny Plays."
If you've ever tried your hand at tracing your family tree, you know how challenging genealogy can be. Fortunately the Genealogy Area at Irish Fest has resources to help you out as well as consultations and talks on "Finding Your Ancestor's Migration Path to the Midwest" and "Ancestral Migration: Let the Records Be Your Travel Guide".
As usual with Irish Fest, there are way too many things to cover, but here are a few more. Whiskey: Jameson will have six (!) bars throughout the grounds. Beer: don't miss the firkin (quarter barrel) taps each day with special beers made with Lakefront Beer and Jameson Whiskey. Cooking: the Callen Celtic Kitchen will feature cooking demonstrations by Irish chefs; this is modern, not traditional, Irish cuisine.
And finally, two of my favorites: the Celtic Canines with lots of hands-on Irish dogs, and the currach races (currachs are Irish rowboats) all day Saturday at the lagoon.
Did I miss anything? Yeah, I did. Check the schedule at irishfest.com for complete details!
Milwaukee Irish Fest 2023 runs Friday through Saturday August 18-20, with a special opening preview and celebration, The Grand Hooley, on Thursday night.
