The Irish Festival Seattle 2024
Irish Festival Seattle 2024 will take place on March 16: 12pm-6pm & March 17: 10am-6pm at The Seattle Center Armory.
Irish Festival Seattle is part of Seattle Center Festál, a series of FREE cultural festivals produced year-round, in partnership with communities.
The Festival is the culmination of Irish Week in Seattle and will feature Irish Dance, Traditional Music, Art, Storytelling, Genealogy and a variety of Celtic vendors.
2024 Highlights
John Whelan
For over 50 years John Whelan has been hailed as one of the world’s best living Irish button accordion players. Originally from England and now based on the US West Coast, the seven-time All-Ireland champion fearlessly explores the creative reaches of music, artistry, and expression while carefully preserving the musical roots from which he originally flourished, and passing those on to the next generation.
Saturday 16 Main Stage at 1:15 PM
Rabbit’s Rebellion
Rabbit’s Rebellion are a spirited ensemble deeply rooted in the vibrant tradition of Irish music. Born out of Seattle’s rich and storied Irish session scene. The name Rabbits Rebellion is an homage to the Easter Rebellion. Presenting: David Perkins – Uilleann Pipes & Whistle, Rae Minji Lee – Fiddle, Robb Lankston – Guitar, Sean McCarthy – Bodhran.
Sunday 17 Main Stage at 4:45 PM
Mateo Messina & The Voice Finnegan Farrell
Grammy Award winner, Mateo Messina, who is this year’s St.Patick’s Day Parade Grand Marshal, will delight the crowd with a unique, musically accompanied, reading of his book The Voice of Finnegan Farrell.
Finnegan’s Story tells us that life is filled with beauty, challenges, success and hardships. It is a reminder that we should always share our story with those around us.
The Voice of Finnegan Farrell premiered in Seattle’s Banaroya Hall in 2012 and Mateo will be joined again by Belfast native Barry Keating and the performance will feature the art of Dave Peixoto.
Sunday Main Stage at 12:00.
Mateo will also sign copies of The Voice of Finnegan Farrell and all proceeds will go towards Seattle Children’s Hospital.
Irish and American Storytelling and Music with Joe and Paula McHugh.
Joe McHugh is a master storyteller who draws upon the folklore of Ireland and the Appalachian Mountains to spin tales that make us laugh one moment and shiver the next, stories that celebrate the Irish gifts of wit and wisdom in both their native land and upon the shores of the New World. He is also a fiddler who loves Celtic airs and jigs and American waltzes and breakdowns. He is accompanied by his wife Paula McHugh who plays the fiddle, banjo, and the “courting dulcimer.”
The Loft Room 2 Saturday at 1:00
The Loft Room 2 Sunday at 1:00
Art Exhibition
Artist: Gerry Blake
Born in Dublin Gerry is a photographic artist and tutor based in Co. Wicklow. He studied photography at National College of Art and Design (NCAD) and completed a Masters in photography at Ulster University, Belfast.
Artist: Aunde Cornely
A Pacific Northwest based artist with roots in Connaught and Munster. Aunde holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts. She received the Allied Arts MFA scholarship and has presented at the American Conference for Irish Studies.
The Loft Movie Room
,The Main Stage will also feature:
- The Carroll Henderson Irish Dancers Saturday at 12:45
- The Haley Prendergast Irish Dancers Saturday at 3:30
- The Rowan Fae Irish Dancers Sunday at 11:00
- Comerford Irish Dance Sunday at 12:30
- Fire and Ice Irish Dancers Sunday at 1:00
- The Tara Academy Irish Dance Sunday at 2:00
- Set dancing with Comhaltas Ceili Band Sunday at 3:30
- The Home Rulers, Irish music with Susan Burke Saturday at 4:15.
- New this year, see the young Seattle musicians from Fiddlesticks, Sunday at 10:00
Upstairs at The Loft will feature:
- Tin Whistle Classes: with Rob Ganadra
- Gaelic: Learn Irish phrases with Matthew Judge
- The Art of Jack B. Yeats with Megan Howard
- Genealogy: Researching your Irish ancestors with Susan McKee
- Wild Geese: Ireland’s famous poets & writers with Claudia Finn
- Irish Citizenship: How and why to apply with Aaron McCloud
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