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In Columbus, Ohio and its surrounding cities, you can find a festival for just about any occasion or culture. Summer is festival season, and I recommend trying to to make it to at least one when you visit Columbus. The Dublin Irish Festival, in Dublin, Ohio is often the largest Irish Festival in the United States. If I could recommend one festival to attend in the Columbus area, this would be the one. You won’t regret it!
I have been going to the Dublin Irish Festival for years. Even though I wouldn’t consider myself to be a festival person, this one is just my speed. The Irish music and dance make for a merry atmosphere. The food options are endless, and you can bet that you will find a pint of Guinness without issue.
If you are wondering if you should attend the Dublin Irish Festival in Ohio, these are the reasons that you are looking for. You will have the time of your life!
Irish Music is Amazing
It would be crazy for me to start with anything other than the music. If you know nothing about Irish music, think fiddles, banjos, soulful vocals, and a tune that will make you dance a jig. If this music doesn’t make you happy, you may not have a soul.
Dublin Irish Festival always gets some of the biggest names in Irish music to come out each year. Gaelic Storm, We Banjo 3, Socks in the Frying Pan, and The Red-Hot Chili Pipers are a few. You can find more upbeat bands, and groups that prefer ballads, solo acts, and bag pipe troupes.
There are multiple stages playing music throughout each day. My favorite stages to frequent are the Celtic Rock, Dublin, and Trinity Stages.
You can buy merchandise and albums from the bands at souvenir stands, and frequently at the stage they are playing at. There will also be opportunities to meet and talk with the artists as well as signings. I have met a few artists by chance, and they are super nice. Of course, in my experience Irish people usually are.
You could spend the entire festival just attending the musical acts if that is your preference. You will certainly get your moneys worth!
Irish Dance the Night Away
Irish dancing has always been impressive to me. The quick footwork, stomping and general cheerfulness of the moves is something I could probably never do. At Dublin Irish Festival, they put an emphasis on dance, and it is easy to see why.
At the Ceili Dance Stage you can watch many groups dance. The choreography looks exhausting to me, but I am mesmerized each time! The steps, reels, and jigs can be heard from far away. The way that the dancers kick and stomp as they dance draws you in and before you know it you are tapping along to the rhythm.
There are also acts that combine dance with Irish music. Some groups do this specifically, but you can also find collaborations between artists at the festival. Occasionally a musical act will invite Irish dancers up on stage to join them!
The collaboration and teamwork at the Dublin Irish Festival is one of the things that I love about it. Seeing the artists supporting each other is really uplifting.
Celtic Canines and Bog Ponies
One thing that I must do each year is visit the Celtic canines and bog ponies. Depending on how hot it is, you may only be able to catch them in the mornings. You can learn about the history of different breeds of dogs and how they were used in Ireland traditionally. If you miss the presentation you can still visit each breed at their respective booths and ask the owners questions about the breed.
They also do a wonderful presentation on Bog Ponies, which are a rare breed of pony found in Ireland. The presentations are informative and they allow for lots of questions. The sweet ponies will come up to say hello, but try to resist feeding them!
It is always fun to see and get in some pets with the sweet dogs here. I love Irish wolfhounds and dream of owning one each year. However, the Glen of Imaal Terrier is probably my favorite. Look them up. They are so cool.
Authors’ Corner
You can always find me looking at books no matter where I go. A festival with books is a festival for me.
The Authors’ Corner is full of books written by both Irish and local authors. I love that the festival allows for authors to come out and promote their books. Go in and speak with the authors about their books and maybe even buy one if it catches your interest.
Supporting authors is one of my favorite things to do! The book tent is often supported by one of my favorite bookstores in Columbus, The Book Loft. Don’t miss out on the books while you are at the festival!
Spoken Word and Irish Traditions
If you know anything about Ireland, you know that stories are a big part of their culture. Oral storytelling is a major tradition and a way to pass down Irish folklore from generation to generation.
At the Spoken Word tent, you can listen to storytellers as they spin their tales. The stories can be personal, historic, folklore, and even poems can be heard on this stage. If you enjoy listening to storytellers, make sure to visit this tent.
At the Irish Traditions tent, you can learn more about different traditions in Ireland. This tent focuses on the rich history and culture of Ireland. If you want to learn something while you are at the festival, this is the place for you.
Irish Sports
If you have never witnessed highland games, you should. Watch strong men and women throw stones, weights, sheaf, hammers and more. This could entertain me for hours, honestly.
At the sports field, you can learn more about sports in Ireland and traditional Irish highland games. Watch the amateur highland games and support the men and women who have worked so hard to hone their skills. It is seriously fun to watch too.
They also do a kid’s highland games, a bagpipe march, and sheep herding in this area, so stop by throughout the day to see what is happening. The field is near the Celtic Rock stage, so you can usually enjoy some nice Irish rock tunes as you watch sports. It’s a good time!
Dublin Irish Festival Eats and Drinks
You can find pretty much any kind of food at the festival. I prefer to seek out Irish food if I can. I get fish and chips every year! You can also find Irish stew in a bread bowl, Cornish pasties, meat pies, sausage rolls and more.
If you aren’t feeling Irish food, you can get literally anything else here. There is the usual fried festival food, and a wide selection of local food trucks. The food trucks in the Columbus area are amazing, I promise.
If you are looking to get a little boozy, you can get a nice pint of Guinness or other beer that suits your fancy. There is also wine and cocktails if you prefer. Check out the Jameson tent for whiskey tastings throughout the day!
Cultural Workshops
The Dublin Irish Festival in Ohio really does give you a full cultural experience. You can learn more about music, dance, history, and even how they made clothes historically. Some of the workshops include woodworking, instrumental, and cooking.
You can stop by the different tents in the Cultural Village area and talk to experts in an array of Irish subjects. It is at least worth a stroll through to see if anything interesting catches your eye.
I love that this festival puts such an emphasis on Irish traditions and culture. You can’t learn something like this at just any festival!
All the Shopping
Finally, there is so much shopping to be done at the Dublin Irish Festival. You can buy a variety of Irish goods. If you have always wanted a kilt, this is a place to get one.
You can find beautiful jewelry, décor, handbags, and more. My personal favorite things to peruse are the baked goods tents. You may even get a free sample or two.
There are some impressive handicrafts, such as stained glass, fairy doors, soaps, and beautiful woodwork. I am not a big shopper, but I love to look at what people have made with their own two hands.
What You Need to Know
The Dublin Irish Festival takes place at Coffman Park in Dublin, Ohio.
The festival usually happens on the first weekend in August, but occasionally moves forward or back by a weekend.
Festival Hours:
Friday: 4pm-midnight
Saturday: 11am-midnight
Sunday: 11am-8pm
Tickets:
$15 Day of
$10 Prior to Festival
Children under 12 are free
On Sunday you can get free admission until 11am with the donation of a non-perishable food item!
There is parking around the festival grounds, but I like to park off site at the Metro Center as there is a free shuttle service to and from the festival. It is very convenient!
Drinks are usually sold via tokens. If you want an alcoholic drink or non-alcoholic bottled drinks, you will need to purchase tokens at a token booth. Be strategic about this, as you cannot refund your tokens. Some of the food vendors sell drinks on their own which can be purchased with cash or card.
Some of the food vendors are cash only, so I recommend having a little cash on you. There are many that take card, though so you won’t starve if you forget cash.
You can learn more about the Dublin Irish Festival on their website.
Dance a Jig, Have a Blast!
Ultimately, you will have fun at the Dublin Irish Festival in Ohio. I love the music, dancing and the general friendliness of the festival. If you enjoy folky, Irish music, energetic dancing, great food, and fun people, this is the festival for you.
Quiet tip: If you don’t like crowds, I highly recommend coming on Sunday. You are way more likely to find a seat in the music tents, and you won’t be bumping elbows either. It is a great time to go!
Come on out and eat all day and dance the night away!
What Irish festivals do you recommend attending?
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I love all of the boozy fun that you can have at this festival. I am super excited that we are living in Asheville now because I feel like unlike Florida, the state has a lot more seasonal festivals. Granted, this is also because NC has seasons.
I attended an Irish festival longgggg ago in CT, and it was a blast. The Guinness is, of course, fabulous, and I enjoy the music and dancing, as well. We weren’t lucky enough to catch whiskey tastings, though. We also didn’t have storytellers, which sounds super cool along with animals and Irish sports.
Sometimes, I feel like these events are mostly drinking ones for adults, which is totally fine. However, I am excited that this one has more cultural elements too. I want to go!
There is definitely the adult drinking aspect, but people really get into the cultural aspect of it all as well! I didn’t talk about it, but there is a lot for kids to do as well. It’s really a family event!
I’m excited to hear all about the seasonal festivals you find in NC! Asheville seems like it would have some great ones!
You definitely described the Irish Festival in fine detail. It is truly a great time. I look forward to it each year.
I look forward to your coming each year as well!