YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Mahoning Valley Irish Festival – the city’s first Irish festival in at least a decade – opens this weekend.
The event will take place downtown in Community Alley, the paved area under the Market Street Bridge and adjacent Wean Park, from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $5 (free for children 12 and under).
Festival director Shannon Lehn said the festival will be fun but also family-friendly.
“The Irish have been beaten down over the centuries, but they love to have fun with friends and music,” said Lehn, who has visited the country several times.
“There’s going to be a cultural part of it, and it’s going to be a lot like St. Patrick’s Day with the same kind of bands, but it’s not going to be the explosion that you see at St. Pat’s,” he said. “It will be more of a festival atmosphere.”
The event will feature non-stop performances from a variety of Irish acts including the Burke Irish Dancers, Irish folk bands County Mayo, Celtic Rush and the Bogtrotters and Irish bard Alan Irvine. Pittsburgh Celtic rock band The Low Kings will close the festival.
The Steel Valley Pipes and Drums will be playing throughout the festival after 6pm on Saturday.
Saturday will also feature children’s activities by Smarts, plus four bounce houses, yard games and face painting.
The music sessions will take place on Saturday in a tent. Guests can come in with their instrument and play, or just observe as if they were visiting a pub in Ireland, Lehn said.
Food will be available from a variety of vendors including the Magic Tree (corned beef and other Irish staples), Andrew’s Sausage, Paddy McPeppers, Pete’s A Place, Arctic Circle Shaved Ice and Frozen Cappuccino, Uncle Sonny’s Ice Cream , tater tots gourmet Vindy Tater and cotton candy, lemonade and lemon The Lemon Lady.
Beer and other beverages will be available, with Sullivan’s Irish Brew making its Valley debut. Penguin City Brewing will be introducing its Irish Red Ale at the festival.
There will also be raffles and a silent auction, and several unique vendors.
Here is the performance calendar:
FRIDAY
5.00pm: The Bogtrotters 6.30pm: Burke Irish Dancers 7.00pm: County Mayo 8.00pm: Spot Fire
SATURDAY
11.00am: County Mayo 12.00pm: Burke Irish Dancers 12.30pm: Irish bard Alan Irvine 1.00pm: The Bogtrotters 2.30pm: Burke Irish Dancers 3.00pm: County Mayo 4.00pm. Irish Bard Alan Irvine 4.30pm: Here Comes Tuesday5.30pm: Burke Irish Dancers 6.00pm: Weekend at Blarney’s 7.00pm: Irish Bard Alan Irvine 7.30pm Celtic Rush 8.30pm Burke Irish Dancers 9.00pm: The Low Kings
Pictured above: Irish folk band County Mayo will perform several sets at the Mahoning Valley Irish Festival.
Copyright 2022 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
