Photo courtesy Milwaukee Irish Fest
Donnell Leahy and Natalie MacMaster at Milwaukee Irish Fest
Donnell Leahy and Natalie MacMaster at Milwaukee Irish Fest
Almost every year since 1981 Irish Fest has welcomed the public to celebrate “Irishness” along our beautiful Lake Michigan waterfront on the Summerfest grounds. What began as a small crew of dedicated folks led by Irish Fest founder, Ed Ward, has grown into an event with over 4,000 volunteers and an annual attendance of over 100,000 visitors, which in 2023 meant they were nearly back to the pre-pandemic levels. “We’re ready to welcome everyone, with smiles,” says Molly Modlinski, director of Milwaukee Irish Fest, adding, “Everyone loves to be Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, and also on the festival weekend.” This year, the four-day festival takes place August 15-18, and features lots of ways to celebrate Ireland and Irish culture with an exceptional variety of activities, foods, and entertainment.
Entertainment
Irish Fest has 16 stages and over 100 acts performing a wide range of music and dance. The groups come from all around the world, including several from Ireland and the United States. O’Jizo hails from Japan, and Gadan from Italy. Some of the many other standouts include the Elephant Sessions, Tumbling Paddies, East Pointers, Ulla and the High Kings. A special tribute show is planned for Saturday evening, August 17, to celebrate the work of Sinead O’Connor who passed away last year. The Screaming Orphans, a band who shared the stage in the past with O’Connor, will perform her songs in homage to her great contribution to world music and activism. “It’s going to be very special,” says Modlinski.
If you love Irish dancers, you’ll have many opportunities throughout the festival to catch their fast and fancy footwork. Eight area Irish dance schools will take their turns performing and showcasing their talented students. Other performers include renowned Irish Dance MC, Éamonn de Cógáin, and dancer Jackie O’Riley with musician Joey Abarta.
One of the most beloved traditions of Irish Fest, the Scattering, takes place on Sunday evening just before the festival ends. Several of the entertainers gather together on one stage and sing all of the old traditional songs. “It’s a big jam session with lots of dancing and singing, and a great way to send everyone off each year,” says Modlinski. After the Scattering the staff and volunteers rush to the main gates to wave or high-five everyone to say goodbye, thank them for coming, and to welcome them to come again next year. “It’s a great tradition,” says Modlinski, “We just want to see those smiles on everybody’s faces and want them to feel like they have come home when they’re at our festival.”
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Food
There’s no shortage of great food available at Irish Fest. All of the traditional Irish favorites like corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, sausage rolls, fish & chips, Irish stew, birdies and stuffed baked potatoes will be available. The over-21 crowd will love the Jameson slushies, Guinness cheesecakes and Gilles Jameson custard. While the junior set will devour the shamrock cookies and morning buns (on Sunday). “Everyone loves the shamrock cookies at the Tea Room,” says Modlinski. Folks who’d prefer other options will find there’s still plenty of non-Irish food to choose from too, including pizza, tacos and barbeque.
If you have always thought Irish food was too “boiled” or too heavy, be sure to check out the featured Irish chefs in the Callen Celtic Kitchen. Chefs Tom Flavin and Johnny Harte will demonstrate the new Irish cooking. Focusing on fresh and locally sourced ingredients, you may find yourself surprised at how light and healthy modern Irish food can be.
Activities
Irish Fest is family-friendly with a full docket of events that kids will enjoy. Lili-putt mini golf, Irish themed crafts to make or take-and-make at home, performances by puppeteers and dancers, are among the varied activities. Children 12 and under with freckles and/or red hair can enter a contest to see who’s the most red-headed/freckled and then participate in the festival parade. Be sure to visit the Leprechaun Village to search for “gold” and learn about leprechauns. If you’re lucky, you may even meet Lily and Liam, the leprechaun characters who live in the village. For families who like a challenge, pick up an Irish Fest Family Passport so you can gather stamps at various locations all around the festival grounds and won’t miss any of the family-oriented activities.
Visitors of all ages will enjoy the culture tent which includes a theater where short plays are performed throughout the festival, a literary corner with author appearances—including local author Malcolm McDowell Woods—and a popular genealogy area where volunteers are on hand to assist visitors with a free search for ancestors from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. “It’s a very popular activity every time because, like I said, everyone loves to be Irish. So, if they can find even an ounce of being Irish there, they’re excited,” says Modlinski.
If you’re looking for a special memento or just like to shop, Irish Fest will have more than 90 marketplace vendors selling Irish and Celtic themed products. One area, near the culture tent, will have Celtic artisans working on site, so you can see the processes and skills employed to create the products they are selling.