The festival features three days of music on five stages; among the confirmed performers are The Elders, Scythian, Eileen Ivers and Immigrant Soul, The Makem and Spain Brothers, The Prodigals, The Tossers, The Kreellers, The Mickey Finns, Kevin Flynn and the Avondale Ramblers, The Larkin and Moran Brothers, The Chancey Brothers, Kennedy's Kitchen, Dyed in the Wool, The Academy of Irish Music, Cu Roi, The Dooley Brothers, Gareth Woods with Sugarbeat, Irish Music School of Chicago, Finbarr Fagan's Band, The Sandcarvers, Steve Davern and The Escape Artists, Mulligan Stew, The Matt Stedman Band, Joe Cullen and Teresa Shine, Chicago Celtic Pipe Band, Kevin Prendergast with Joe Cullen and Gerry Haughey, Joe McShane and The SilverBridge Band, Shannon Rovers Irish Pipe Band, Switchback, The Misericordia Heartbreakers, The Sheila Tully Academy of Irish Dance, The Foy School of Traditional Irish Dance, The Trinity Academy of Irish Dance, The O'Hare School of Irish Dance, The Mullane-Healy-O'Brien Irish Dance Academy, Shapeshifters Theatre, The Mulhern School of Irish Dance, Mike Houlihan, Tom Hughes, Mike Austin and more!
For those looking for hands-on activities, the Folk Tent returns with various demonstrations of Irish instruments, dances and sing-alongs. Irish and American food is available throughout the weekend, and dozens of vendors and artisans will be selling Irish clothing, music and jewelry.
The tea room will be open Saturday and Sunday, from 3 pm to 6 pm, offering sandwiches, tea and coffee for purchase. There will be live harp music by Irish harper Lillian Reasor on Saturday, and piano music and singing with Irish Tenor Mark Piekarz on Sunday.
Fest activities and competitions include The Hooley Hook-up, a Matchmaking event with live music, matchmaking and dancing; the Mashed Potato Eating Contest, and the Sham-ROCK Stars Singing Contest.
Irish Fest will be open on Friday from 6 pm to midnight; Saturday from noon to midnight, and Sunday from noon to 11 p.m. at 4626 N. Knox Avenue, Chicago. Admission is $14 per day and $7 for seniors; children under 12 are free when accompanied by a paid adult. For more information, call 773-282-7035, ext. 10 or visit www.irishfestchicago.com.
The Irish American Heritage Center, which occupies an 86,000 square foot building on the City's northwest side, fosters the practice, study and celebration of Irish, Celtic and Irish-American cultural traditions. Membership in the Center is open to anyone with an interest in these traditions. The IAHC houses a 650-seat theatre, a library, an authentic Irish pub, a grand ballroom, a museum, dance/music studios and meeting rooms.
STAGE PLOT
-Stage Far Left - Andrew Gerber, Mandolin - provides his own D.I.
Stage Left - Sean Mulroney, Bass - provides his own Shure SH55 microphone for backing vocals (microphone clips will need to be removed from your mic stands so we can attach these microphones)
Stage Center/Back - Fred Frey, standard, 2-tom drum kit - will use one of the studios mics for backing vocals
Stage Center/Front - Kevin Flynn, acoustic guitar & main vocals - provides his own D.I. & provides his own Shure SH55 microphone
Stage Right - Nils St. Cyr, electric guitar - provides his own Shure SH55 microphone for backing vocals
If anybody has any questions about this set-up at all, they can call Kevin at 773-396-0834
