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On September 8, 9 and 10, 2023, all Ireland loving Pittsburghers will go to celebrate at the Irish Festival at Carrie Blast Furnaces National Historic Landmark. Since 1991, this multi-day festival celebrates Irish history in Pennsylvania through music, dance, food and drink. It’s a “half way to St. Patrick’s Day” extravaganza. So, come and be Irish for a weekend, no questions asked.
Irish Festival Schedule
- Friday, September 8 – 4 pm to 11 pm
- Saturday, September 9 – 11 am to 11 pm
- Sunday, September 10 – 9 am to 5 pm
A Taste Of Ireland
The Marketplace will have foods and snacks made in Ireland that attendees can purchase. You can buy Keogh’s potato chips, Guinness chocolate, Mileeven Honey with Jameson, Butler’s candy bars, coffee and much more. In addition to the food, the Marketplace also has vendors with a wide variety of Irish items for sale.
Five Farms Irish Cream will present a Celtic Kitchen. Watch amateur and professional bakers and chefs demonstrate cooking and baking Irish treats. Celtic cooking is hearty. simple and tasty. Get a look at the preparation of old world recipes with new world adaptations.
Irish favorite foods will be cooked at the festival and will be available for purchase. These include
- Corned beef & cabbage
- Fish & chips
- Fresh sausages
- Irish Stew
- Colcannon
- Boxty pancakes
- Shepherd’s Pie
- Ham & cabbage
and much more.
Entertainment
Live music will be featured throughout the festival. You’ll see really talented local, national and international performers. Entertainers include
- Ally The Piper
- Enda Reilly
- Evan Young
- The Bow Tides
- Shovlin Academy Irish Dance
- Screaming Orphan
- Gaelic Storm
- The Brigideens
- Weekend at Blarney’s
- Dennis Doyle
- Abbots Cross
- RUNA
- Eileen Ivers
- Alan Irvine
- Bealtaine
- Bell School of Irish Dance
- Cahal Dunne
- Sean Patrick Regan
- Irish Town Rounders
- Mick Thomas, Comedian
- County Mayo
- The Pittsburgh Irish Festival Ceili
- Devilish Merry
- Donnie Irish
- Sean Finnerty, Comedian
- The Low Rings
and more.
Irish Festival Activities
- Session Tent – Musicians can bring their instruments and join other musicians in the Session Tent playing Irish music all weekend.
- Genealogy Pavilion – Trace your Irish ancestors with help here.
- Cultural Hedge School Stage with educational lessons on Irish history, legends, music, language, dance, sports and symbols
- Leprechaun’s Landing is a children’s area with Irish arts, crafts and games.
- Festival Raffle Booth – Enter a raffle to win a tour of Ireland, Irish gift items, festival merchandise and more.
- The annual Irish Mass at the Celtic Spirit Stage at 10 am
- Ya Jagoff! Sports Lounge has a giant screen TV for watching the Steelers, Pirates, Pitt Panthers and more.
- Irish Writers Corner
- Cultural Beverage – For attendees 21+, tasting is included in your admission ticket. This will be for Irish whiskey and mead.
- Ancient Celtic Axe Throwing
There will be strolling bagpipers and Gaelic sports demonstrations. The festival will have traditional step and ceili dance workshops and performances. There will also be storytelling and Irish instrument demonstrations.
Irish Cuisine
If you liked the food at the festival and want to learn more about Irish cooking, try these cookbooks. You can use our links to save money on them.
- The Best of Irish Country Cooking: Classic and Contemporary Recipes by Nuala Callon and Tony and Diggin Briscoe
- Irish Traditional Cooking: Over 300 Recipes from Ireland’s Heritage by Darina Allen
- The Complete Irish Pub Cookbook
- The Irish Pocket Potato Recipe Book by Eveleen Coyle
Or you can enjoy Irish cuisine in the 5 Best Irish Restaurants in Pittsburgh as chosen by the users of TripAdvisor.
- Piper’s Pub
- Riley’s Pour House
- Mullaney’s Harp & Fiddle
- Monterey Pub
- Sieb’s Pub
Pittsburgh Hotels & Airfare
If you’d like to visit Pittsburgh for the Irish Festival, you should consider the following hotels. They are offering discounted rates which will save you money on your stay.
- Quality Inn Pittsburgh Airport 19% Discount
- Comfort Suites Aten Road 19% Discount
- Econo Lodge Pittsburgh I-79 19% Discount
- Quality Inn & Suites North 19% Discount
- Sleep Inn & Suites Park Lane 19% Discount
- Quality Inn Thorn Run 19% Discount
- Clarion Inn Route 19 19% Discount
- Quality Inn & Suites Landings 19% Discount
- MainStay Suites Pittsburgh Airport 18% Discount
- Rodeway Inn & Suites Monroeville – Pittsburgh 15% Discount
- Comfort Inn Conference Center 15% Discount
- Econo Lodge Jefferson Hills Hwy 51 15% Discount
- MainStay Suites Gamma Drive 15% Discount
- Comfort Inn & Suites Gamma Drive 15% Discount
- Suburban Studios Monaca Pittsburgh 14% Discount
- Comfort Inn Steubenville Pike 5% Discount
If you’re going to be flying to Pittsburgh, book your airline ticket here and you can save money on your flight.