Fri 7/18-Sun 7/20
Cleveland’s Irish community has never been shy about tooting its horn (especially on the judicial ballot where an Irish name, especially a female Irish name virtually assures election), so it’s surprising that the Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival (CICF), taking place this weekend at the county fairgrounds in Berea, is just 40 years old. (The Irish Cultural Garden in Rockefeller Park is 90 years old. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade is more than 180!)
Of course, you’ll see/hear a variety of performances by both local and touring artists, including this year’s headliner, noted Irish folk quartet The High Kings. Ally the Piper’s viral hard rock-meets-Celtic music, and Grammy-nominated all-woman Irish-American folk group are also on the lineup, along with the eclectic, global-music band Scythian, and Irish chart-toppers Trasna. The Narrowbacks, New Barleycorn, Brigid’s Cross, the Prodigals, Crawley & Sofranko, the Drowsy Lads, Reverie Road, Custy & Mac, Gould & Yeager, Seamus Kennedy, and the East Coasters are also slated to perform, so you won’t run out of music to hear. In addition, there will off course be pipe bands. Or you can bring your instrument and join a jam session in the Cultural Hall if you like to make your own kind of music.
Between bands, you can enjoy copious food and drink, both Irish and not; Irish sports in the Cleveland Croke Sports Park where people can try out sports such as hurling, rugby and Gaelic football; and a children’s area with crafts, Irish dance lessons, a petting zoo, Irish dogs to pet, bounce houses, a magician, and storytellers, musicians and dancers with performances aimed at kids.
Get information about all the activities offered at clevelandirish.org. For tickets go here.