Explore Irish Culture & Heritage 

Irish Fest features an area on the south end of the grounds dedicated to Irish and Celtic history, language, art, sports, and culture, known as the Cultural Village. Learn more, below, about what and who will be featured in each area. Then, on the schedule page of our website or on the app, click "culture" on the filter dropdown menu to view cultural programming details for this year's festival.

Cultural Pavilion

The Cultural Pavilion at Irish Fest features a cross-section of Irish culture and history. Discover the stories, traditions, and landscapes that have shaped Ireland and the Irish experience. Through exhibits, presentations, and interactive displays, you'll find something new to explore throughout the festival.

This year's Cultural Pavilion will feature

• Journey to Knocknarea and the Legend of Queen Maeve
• Meet Ireland's Puffins
  • Get to know one of Ireland's most beloved seabirds. Learn where puffins nest, why they are important to Ireland's coastal ecosystems, and discover fascinating facts about these colorful avian ambassadors.
• Signposts to America
• Irish Dance in Milwaukee
• The Sacred Trees of Ireland

Gaeltacht Stage

Steeped in tradition, brimming with talent, and sweetened with native speakers, the Gaeltacht lineup is sure to hit the spot. The Gaeltacht, or Irish-speaking area, showcases the Irish language and traditional Irish culture. You can learn simple Irish phrases or get a name tag with your name in Irish. Stop in anytime and enjoy traditional Irish humor, song, dance, and culture. The Gaeltacht is where the Irish go to feel at home.

This year's Gaeltacht will feature

• Caoimhe Ní Mhaolagáin
• Diarmuid Ó Meachair
• Enda O'Reilly
• Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and Mark Kelly from Altan
• Máirín Uí Chéide
• Oireachtas Show with Ray Mac Mánais and Joe Ó Dónaill
• Shane Hennessy

Genealogy

Discover the journey of your Celtic ancestors at the Genealogy Tent. The tent’s featured exhibits explore Celtic immigration to the Midwest, tracing the routes taken by Irish and other Celtic families as they made their way to states throughout the region. Interactive displays and maps will help bring these migration stories to life.

New Special Exhibit - Irish Emigrant Letters
In partnership with the University of Galway Imirce Project, the Genealogy Tent will feature a special exhibit highlighting Irish emigrant letters and family stories from North America. The collection includes thousands of transcribed and digitized letters exchanged between the United States and Ireland from the late 1600s through the mid-20th century. The display will showcase letters from families who settled in Midwestern communities, providing a fascinating glimpse into the lives, challenges, and successes of Irish immigrants.

Visitors can also explore popular exhibits on DNA, Irish first names, Irish surnames, and other genealogy resources designed to help uncover family connections and heritage. Returning this year and expanded to meet growing interest, our one-on-one researchers will be available to assist visitors with their family history searches and answer genealogy questions.

Whether you are just beginning your research or have been tracing your family tree for years, the Genealogy Tent offers something for everyone. Be sure to stop by and make it part of your Irish Fest experience!

Hedge School

The Hedge School offers a unique space for thought-provoking discussions and engaging presentations that delve into Irish history, politics, literature, contemporary issues, and cultural identity. Audiences can hear from scholars, professors, writers, historians, and cultural experts as they explore historical and modern topics.

The name “Hedge School” is rooted in Irish history—during the 18th and early 19th centuries, when British laws restricted Catholic education in Ireland, clandestine schools were set up outdoors or in hidden locations, often near hedgerows, to secretly educate Irish children. These secret gatherings became powerful symbols of resistance, resilience, and the importance of learning.

In that same spirit, the Hedge School at Irish Fest honors the Irish commitment to storytelling and cultural preservation, providing festivalgoers with a deeper understanding of Ireland beyond the music and dance.

We have new and returning professors and cultural experts this year.

This year's Hedge School will feature 

• Chanté Mouton Kenyon
• Dan Neely
• Tim McMahon
• Derek Hand
• Daniel Carey
• Marguerite Helmers
• Brian Ó Conchubhair
• Mary McCain
• Barry Stapleton
• Bishop McGuckian
• Brian Cahalane
• Minister TBA
• Sean Farrell

Irish Language Workshop - Ceardlann na Gaeilge

The Irish Language Workshop Tent invites festivalgoers to explore the beauty and history of the Irish language—Gaeilge—through simple phrases, greetings, and cultural expressions. As one of the oldest living languages in Europe, Irish Gaelic has been spoken for over 2,000 years and remains a vital part of Ireland’s heritage and identity. 

This year's Irish Language Workshop Tent will feature

• Connie Marshner
• Brian Ó Conchubhair
• Dan Schlitz
• Fr. Frainc Mac Brádaigh
• Joe Ó Donaill
• Rónán Ó Dochartaigh
• Vivienne Sayers

Literary Corner

The Literary Corner at Irish Fest is a haven for book lovers and curious minds alike, celebrating the depth and diversity of Irish and Celtic storytelling. This area features a lineup of acclaimed and emerging authors, offering festivalgoers the chance to meet the writers behind the words, hear about their creative journeys, and get books personally signed.

In addition to author appearances, the space includes a curated bookshop stocked with a wide range of titles—from historical fiction and contemporary memoirs to children's tales and cultural studies—all rooted in Irish and Celtic themes.

Whether you're looking to discover a new favorite read or dive deeper into Irish literature, the Literary Corner offers a thoughtful and enriching experience for all ages.

This year's Literary Corner will feature

• Carlene O'Connor
• Gabrielle Ni Mheachair
• James Raquepau
• Malcolm McDowell Woods
• Robert Patrick Conlon
• Rod Vick
• Susan Donovan Bernhard

Theatre Pavilion

The Theatre Pavilion at Irish Fest brings the storied tradition of Irish drama to life, showcasing a lineup of performances that range from classic one-act plays to contemporary works.

This year's Theatre Pavilion will feature the following plays presented by Milwaukee Irish Arts

• Meeting Venus
• Chapatti 
• Letters to Ireland: The Emigrant Experience in Their Own Words

And theatrical performances from

• Patrick O'Sullivan
• Éamonn de Cógáin

Sports

Currach Races
Watch currach races along the lagoon from the Milwaukee Currach Club.

Saturday: 12 p.m. Milwaukee Currach Club regatta relay races
Sunday: 2 p.m. Police versus Fire race
Sunday: 3 p.m. Military races

Stop by the Meehan Boat House, located on the south end of the grounds, right along the lagoon, to learn more about the history of currach boats. Then, on Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m., join in on the Knitting Circle. Learn to knit a common Irish pattern. All ages and skill levels are welcome. Supplies and instructions will be provided.

Hurling
Stop by the hurling demonstration area to learn about one of Ireland's ancient, native Gaelic games from the Milwaukee Hurling Club.

Gaelic Football
Join the members of the Miltown Gaels as they demonstrate the ins and outs of Gaelic football. Activities will include live demonstrations of the sport, interactive drills, and prizes.

 Irish Music Sessions

Tucked into a cozy nook along the lagoon walk path at Irish Fest, the Lakefront Sessions Bar offers a charming retreat for festivalgoers. Here, you can settle in with a pint and take in the warm, communal atmosphere as musicians from session groups across pubs throughout the greater Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin region play traditional Irish music tunes and even invite you to join in during the open sessions.

It’s a relaxed, informal, and friendly space—where the steady hum of conversation blends with reels and jigs, and every drink feels a bit more lively in celebration of heritage and togetherness.

If you are participating in any of this year's sessions and need to bring your instrument to the festival, please contact us at info@irishfest.com, and we'll relay additional information to you about entry.

The traditional Irish music sessions take place at the Lakefront Sessions Pub along the lagoon.

Milwaukee Irish Fest is cashless. 

Irish Fest is a cashless festival. We accept debit/credit cards. Cash will still be accepted for raffle tickets, rentals, package checks, and select vendors (e.g., marketplace, food booths). Use our Cash to Card stations—located at box offices and inside each entrance—to load cash onto a prepaid card for use throughout the festival.