CelticMKE Milwaukee Irish Fest Irish Fest Scrapbook School of Music Summer School Ward Irish Music Archives
Join us for the world's largest Irish music festival, August 18 - 21 at the Henry Maier Festival Park! Four days of music, culture & craic!
Over 100 entertainment acts across 16 stages!
Get Tickets
Your ticket to Milwaukee Irish Fest includes access to ALL of the musical and cultural entertainment! Enjoy over 100 entertainment acts across 16 stages, plus cultural activities, sporting races and more! Browse through the daily lineup, filter by stage or genre to plan your Irish Fest expeirence!
Schedule
Did you know that we have a new feature on our app this year?! You can now order ahead on our app at The Crossroads Wine & Beer bar! Click the Order Ahead tap on our app, view the drink menu (non-alcoholic options available as well), order what you want, and within 15 minutes your order will be available for pickup at the bar! Download our app for free on Google and Apple!
Download on Google Play Download on Apple
STATEMENT REGARDING THE MILWAUKEE IRISH FEST SHUTTLE SERVICE
We have unfortunately run into an issue with the Milwaukee Irish Fest shuttle service. Due to several staffing issues from the contracted bus company, they have been unable to provide the level of service that we contracted for. We are actively looking into solutions to mitigate the problem. Once we have more information, we will post an update on our website and social media channels.
In the meantime, alternative parking and transportation options are available. We have a partnership with SpotHero, the nation's leading parking reservations app. To reserve your parking spot, visit the Irish Fest SpotHero Parking Page and book a spot with rates up to 50% off drive-up. Anyone wanting to utilize a bus service to get to Irish Fest can ride the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) GoldLine, GreenLine, Route 15, Route 30, or Route 33. All of these stops get you within walking distance to the festival park. For more route or fare information, go to RideMCTS.com.
We apologize to all who are affected by this inconvenience and hope to see you all down on the grounds this weekend.
Have a question for us? Click below for our frequently asked questions below to find what you're looking for. If you can't find your answer, please contact the Irish Fest office at 414-476-3378.
View FAQs
Swipe through our carousel for news, updates and quick links.
Irish Fest will offer shuttle services from Park & Ride locations throughout the Greater Milwaukee area for FREE!
Details
If you are a veteran and plan to attend Irish Fest, please click below for details on Oral History Interviews being conducted at Irish Fest!
Learn More
Can't attend Irish Fest? We'll be live streaming all weekend long! View live stream schedule below.
Our Spotify playlist is a rotating playlist. The current playlist features music from this year's 2022 festival bands and artists!
Go to Spotify
Check out our Irish and Celtic content on our YouTube - live streams from previous Irish Fest, performances from artists in Ireland and so much more!
YouTube
Private lessons, group classes and workshops in Irish music for students of varying ages and abilities through our Milwaukee Irish Fest School of Music program!
Relive memories from previous Irish Fests through our Digital Scrapbook website!
Go to Scrapbook
Scotland's influence on rock and pop music since the 1960s has been substantial. From Rod Stewart to Annie Lennox to Lewis Capaldi, Scotland's contribution to our shared music is incredible. In the spirit of collaboration, these big production shows can only be seen at Milwaukee Irish Fest! Please join We Banjo 3, Skerryvore and Friends for this special celebration of the Best of Scottish Rock, happening on Saturday, August 20, 7:45 pm at the Cider Boys Stage!
Download the FREE official Milwaukee Irish Fest app, powered by CiderBoys Hard Cider, on your Apple or Android phone. View the schedule, artists, activities, food and more all from a mobile device.
There are multiple ways to save on admission to the world's largest Irish music festival! Check out the list of ways to save or get in for free below!
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(pronounced: do-war coo)
To understand what a Dobhar-chú is (pronounced do-war-coo, the "b" is silent), you first need to understand what a cryptid is. Quite simply, it's any animal whose existence is unsubstantiated. Nessie in Scotland, the Hodag here in Wisconsin and Bigfoot are all cryptids. You’ll find them in any culture with a rich history rooted in storytelling—and there are no greater storytellers than the Irish.
The Dobhar-chú—also known as a King Otter—is a cryptid that first showed up in Ireland (Conwall cemetery in Glenade, County Leitrim, to be precise) during the 17th Century. Carved into a headstone, historians have uncovered a relief featuring an animal with the body and legs of a dog, but the head and tail of an otter. Dobhar-chús are thought to live in the water and be about 10-15 feet in length with dark fur and black-tipped ears.
Our Dobhar-chú (we’ve named him Danny) is believed to have swum the length of the North Atlantic Ocean; across the Gulf of St. Lawrence; through the St. Lawrence River; across Lakes Ontario, Erie and Huron; then down Lake Michigan before arriving in our harbor. He’s been spotted paddling around Lakeshore State Park, occasionally sunning himself on the rocks, and taking in the sights and sounds of our festival at dawn and dusk. If you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of him. And fortunately, in addition to being great storytellers, we Irish are thought to be lucky as well.
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