The 2014 Irish Fair of Minnesota
The 2014 Irish Fair of Minnesota, a three-day annual celebration of Irish heritage and culture, will be held Friday, Aug. 8 through Sunday, Aug. 10 on Harriet Island in St. Paul, Minn. With approximately 100,000 attendees each year, this event is the largest free celebration of its kind in the nation.
Celebrating its 35th year, the Irish Fair of Minnesota will continue to provide a family-friendly experience featuring a multitude of activities, including traditional music, Irish dance, Gaelic sports, a Children’s Tent, an Irish Authors Literary Corner, native Irish dogs, the Best Legs in a Kilt Contest, a variety of Irish shopping and an array of food and beverage options to enjoy.
From internationally-known to locally-grown, the three entertainment stages will feature some of the best Irish music. A sampling of bands booked include: Altan, The Eddies, Gaelic Storm, The HiBs, The Hounds of Finn, Mànran, The Mahones, The Screaming Orphans, The Sweet Colleens, Tim Malloys and Wild Colonial Bhoys.
Speaking of international fame, this year’s fair will also include Clive Geraghty, one of Ireland’s finest actors and a stalwart of the Abbey Theatre since the 1960s, and the Ouroboros Theatre’s production of “A Celebration of Seamus Heaney”. The show will play on Saturday, Aug. 9, from 6-7 p.m. in the Dance Tent and on Sunday, Aug. 10, from 1-2 p.m. in the Eoin McKiernan Speaker’s Tent.
In order to help keep the Irish Fair free, the festivities will also include a “short” fundraiser: The Zero K, a three-foot long foot “race.” It costs $25 to participate and at the finish line, racers will receive a souvenir t-shirt and a pint of Finnegan’s (if of age, of course).
The Visit the Irish Fair’s website for detailed schedule information.
Friday, August 8, 3 pm – 11 pm
Saturday, August 9, 10 am – 11 pm
Sunday, August 10, 9 am – 7 pm
Harriet Island
St. Paul
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