The 33rd Annual Pittsburgh Irish Festival will be held September 6 through September 8, 2024, at The Carrie Blast Furnaces National Historic Landmark in Pennsylvania.
This year's festival will highlight traditional and new items including music, dance, competitions, Carrie Furnace tours, cooking demos, shopping, Irish cuisine, and beverages, children’s activities, genealogy, and so much more!
Discounted advance tickets are available now at PGHIrishFest.org.
Events and Activities subject to change.
*NEW* Fiddle Frenzy
The first-ever collaboration of fiddlers at the Pittsburgh Irish Festival will be held on Saturday, September 7. The fiddle frenzy will feature Katie Grennan and Winifred Horan from Reverie Road, Natalya Kay from Gaelic Storm, Grammy Winner, Eileen Ivers, Colin Forhan from The Brigideens, Angela Diver from the Screaming Orphans, Shane Cook from The Woodchippers, Jan Hamilton and Heather Gilmer from Devilish Merry, and Phil from The Drowsy Lads!
*NEW* Blazing a Trail: Lives & Legacies of Irish Women
This exhibition highlights the lives and legacies of 21 Irish diaspora women in the fields of politics, humanitarianism, women’s suffrage, the arts, the sciences, and sport. They represent just a fraction of the many women who made lasting contributions in their areas of work, but who have rarely received recognition.
*NEW* Counties of Ireland
Take a trip through all 32 counties of Ireland with our newest display! Learn about what makes each county unique, its history, some fun facts, and more!
*NEW* Stone Lifting Competition
For centuries, the stones on Ireland’s rugged landscape were more than simple geographical features. The ability to lift a particular stone was used in tests of strength, and often as rites of passage at events like weddings and funerals. Stone Circle Strongman will be a new attraction at this year’s Fest and will be hosting a stone lifting competition on Sunday, September 8 for any strong lads and lassies who wish to participate in this ancient Celtic tradition. For more information and to preregister, visit StoneCircleStrongman.com or Stone Circle Strongman on Instagram.
*NEW* Celtic Magic
Celtic Magic combines high-energy comedy, stunning illusions, audience interaction, and death-defying flaming feats with themes from Irish History and Celtic Mythology. Daniel GreenWolf and Bella bring you a show for the whole family that’s a little twisted in the best of ways. Catch this show at the Fest only on Friday, September 6!
360 Degree Virtual Tours of Ireland
For the first time at the Fest, take a fully immersive virtual reality tour of the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. Guests will be able to take in the sights and sounds of one of Ireland’s most popular tourist destinations, all from the comfort of the Pittsburgh Irish Festival and free with your Festival admission.
Gaelic Sports Programs & Demos
Hurling, Camogie, and Gaelic Football are traditional Irish sports that hold deep cultural significance and captivate fans with their unique gameplay. Pittsburgh is home to professional and youth teams who have achieved great success both on and off the field with multiple Midwest and National Championship wins! This year, take a deep dive into these sports – learn the rules, meet the players, and try your hand at these incredible Gaelic Sports!
New this year, Pittsburgh Hurling will host their first ever Pittsburgh Irish Fest Poc Fada! Poc Fada is Irish for "long puck." An All-Ireland Poc Fada Championship is held annually testing the skills of many of the top Hurling and Camogie players. Competitors must puck (hit) a sliotar with a hurley. They play to the top of Carn an Mhadaidh and continue back down to finish in Aghameen. The whole course measures over 5 km. Pittsburgh Hurling will be holding a similar competition, modified for the confines of their festival booth. All ages, genders, and abilities are invited to participate. Winners will receive Pittsburgh Pucas Hurling merch!
Carrie Furnace Mini Tours
The National Historic Landmark Carrie Blast Furnaces #6 & #7, opened in 1907 and taken offline in 1978, are extremely rare examples of pre-World War II iron-making technology. The site is managed by the Rivers of Steel. For a small fee, Rivers of Steel will present mini-tours of the site during the Festival. During the tour, you’ll learn about the iron-making process and the men and women who worked there. Many of the workers were of Irish origin or descent and played a large part in the development of the industry and the region.
Five Farms Irish Cream Celtic Kitchen
Presented by Five Farms Irish Cream, watch both professional and amateur bakers and chefs demonstrate cooking and baking delightful treats! Celtic cooking is hearty, simple, and tasty – enjoy this hands-on look of the preparation of old-world recipes with new-world adaptations. The full demo schedule will be available at pghirishfest.org.
A Taste of Ireland
Festival visitors will be able to sample and purchase foods and snacks made in Ireland! Take home items like Guinness chocolate, Keogh’s potato chips, Mileeven Honey with Jameson, soda bread & scone mixes, Butlers candy bars, Irish teas and coffees, and so much more!
Session Tent
Musicians, bring your instrument and get into the Festival for free. Join other musicians and play your favorite Irish songs throughout the weekend!
Irish Authors' Corner
Learn about Ireland and its lore while meeting visiting authors at this year’s Irish Festival. Buy a book and get it autographed. Hear the authors’ tales during the weekend at the Hedge School.
Delight in dance and music performances
View continuous entertainment in four performance areas, presented by adult and children’s dance ensembles, all colorfully costumed and skillfully choreographed. In addition, our contemporary and traditional Irish musicians will bring you to your feet as they continue the party as only the Irish can! Full entertainment line-up and schedule is available at PGHIrishFest.org.
Feast on Irish cuisine and Celtic beverages
Relish the mouthwatering sights, aromas, and tastes coming from our Irish kitchens! From a bite to a hearty meal, we serve Irish sausage, Irish stew, boxty pancakes, corned beef and cabbage, Shepherd’s Pie, fish and chips, colcannon, ham and cabbage, and much more! Our desserts are plentiful and delicious. While you are there, enjoy a wide variety of Celtic beverages at Tara Tea and numerous pubs! Visit PGHIrishFest.org for a full list of menus and beverage offerings.
Discover your Irish family tree
Trace that elusive Irish ancestor by visiting the Genealogy Pavilion. Learn how to search locally and online for long-lost family here and on the Auld Sod. Forms and reference books are on-site to guide you as you begin or restart the process of climbing your Family Tree. If you are looking for an ancestor that may have worked at Carrie Furnaces, the volunteers in the Genealogy Pavilion can point you in the right direction!
Irish dog area
Visit with the dogs native to Ireland! Meet Irish breeds: Irish Setter, Irish Wolfhounds, Irish Water Spaniel, Irish Terrier, Glen of Imaal, Irish Red and White Setter, Kerry Beagle, Kerry Blue Terrier, and the Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier. Email [email protected] to include your dog in the festivities. (Breeds and dog lengths of stay are subject to change.)
Watch the game
The Pittsburgh Irish Festival usually means it is time for football season! Watch the Steelers, Pitt Panthers, and more on our big screen while you enjoy a stout and some Irish Stew in our Ya Jagoff! Sports Lounge!
Cultural Hedge School stage
One of the most popular areas at the festival is the Hedge School. Based on the infamous Penal Laws, hedge schools developed in Ireland in response to the bans placed on educating Irish natives about their history, traditions, and culture. As a result, lessons were taught in secret in a barn or in the shadow of a hedge. We are proud to offer ongoing educational sessions in the areas of history, legends, music, language, dance, sports, and symbols of Ireland.
Leprechaun's Landing (Children's area / Irish arts, crafts, and games)
For our wee folk! Take home a hand-made souvenir, enjoy an Irish story, sing a long, and even dance an Irish jig! Play a round of mini golf on our Royal County Down course, hop around on “Nessie” our Loch Ness Monster and The Irish Castle bounce houses, and try your luck at one of our custom games!
Shop at the Irish Marketplace
A favorite area of the Festival is the Irish Marketplace where unique shopping booths display a panorama of Irish items for sale. Take home a specialized clothing article, piece of art, interesting trinket, or souvenir. Guaranteed Irish, we feature over 50 specialty booths. Don’t forget to visit our Festival’s award-winning merchandise booth!
Meet Pittsburgh's Irish organizations
Members will be on hand with lots of information and an invitation to join them!
Cultural beverage tastings
For our guests 21+, beverage tasting is included in the price of your Festival admission ticket! Visit our Cultural Beverage Tasting area as we experience the charm, depth, and diversity of flavor found in Irish whiskeys, mead, Irish cream, and more. Each booth will feature professionally curated tastings conducted by a whiskey master, Protector of the Peat, brewer, or mead maker. You will get to compare and contrast the unique qualities of legendary brands.
Raffle
Stop by our Festival Raffle Booth for your chance to win Irish gift items, Festival merchandise, tickets to local events, gift cards, and more! We will also be raffling off a private tour of Ireland* thanks to our tourism partner, Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland. *Visit pghirishfest.org for details, rules, and regulations.
Irish Mass - Sunday, September 8 at 10 am
Join us for our annual Irish Mass on Sunday, September 10 at 10 a.m. at our Celtic Spirit Stage. The Irish Mass is sponsored by Duquesne University, Central Catholic High School, Sacred Heart Elementary Schook, and Oakland Catholic High School.
Other Festival highlights
Storytelling from Alan Irvine, Celtic Harper – Dennis Doyle, traditional step and ceili dance workshops and performances, Irish instrument and cultural area demonstrations, strolling bagpipers, Gaelic sports demonstrations, and Gaelic names with Sean.
About the Pittsburgh Irish Festival
The Pittsburgh Irish Festival, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation created to contribute to the rich cultural awareness of Irish history and tradition that exists in Pittsburgh.
In addition to its three-day Celtic Celebration, the Pittsburgh Irish Festival has expanded into a year-round resource for education and cultural programs through the creation of the Irish Education Outreach Program.
Created in 1991, the Pittsburgh Irish Festival, Inc. has gained recognition as an important presenter of Celtic culture due, in large part, to its highly successful festival. This event has become one of the nation’s finest Irish-American festivals, and certainly the most comprehensive exhibit of Irish music, lore, food, and dance in the region. The Festival is held the weekend after Labor Day in September.
For more information, visit PGHIrishFest.org.
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