The Birth of Milwaukee Irish Fest
What originated as the seed of an idea for an event to celebrate and promote Irish heritage, CelticMKE has emerged into a thriving organization that celebrates the music, culture and history of Ireland during its four-day festival as well as with several outreach initiatives throughout the year.
In the early 1980's, members of Milwaukee's Irish community gathered to discuss opportunities to promote their Gaelic heritage in a city known for its German roots. The idea of a festival, a three-day event (initially) to promote Irish culture through music, dance, cultural exhibits, drama and sports, was born. The festival wasn't just an opportunity to feature national and international Irish acts, but also an impetus to showcase local groups that celebrate the rich traditions of Irish music.
Under the direction of Ed Ward, the first Milwaukee Irish Fest premiered in 1981 on a shoestring budget. Volunteers spent months planning the event, incorporating an extensive lineup of musical entertainment and cultural programming. Based on the event's success and overwhelming interest by those in attendance, Milwaukee Irish Fest has come to be known as the world's largest celebration of Irish music and Celtic culture, with an average attendance of 100,000. The success of the festival also depends on more than 4,000 dedicated volunteers.
Each year, Milwaukee Irish Fest presents new themes, performers, cultural exhibits and special events at its annual festival.
Through the continued popularity of the festival, Irish Fest has even developed its own entertainment group. The Irish Fest Choir is a group of more than 25 young adults performing traditional Irish and Irish American songs. The group has performed with the Omagh Community Youth Choir in both the United States and Ireland. The groups have embraced this collaboration, and Irish Fest has welcomed the Omagh Choir as part of the 2001, 2003, 2008 and 2015 festivals.
Known as a family friendly festival, it has been said that Irish Fest truly is a taste of Ireland. In addition to promoting and preserving Irish heritage, the organization also regards itself as a community contributor through several outreach efforts. The festival has developed an award-winning recycling program encouraging festival guests and vendors to maintain the beauty of Milwaukee's lakefront. These efforts have earned the festival the right to be named "The Green Festival."
While the festival only lasts four days each year, the commitment to promote and preserve Irish culture throughout the year has earned Milwaukee Irish Fest national and worldwide acclaim.
Learn more about the history of the festival and relive previous festival years by visiting our digital scrapbook site, mainted by our Ward Irish Music Archives!
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