Magic, Music & Culture in Store at This Year's Danbury Irish Fest

The 2019 Danbury Irish Festival is bigger and better than ever at its new location, 65 Sand Pit Rd., Danbury. The festival features three local Irish dance schools, Irish vendors, cultural activities, children's entertainment, Irish food and refreshments and nonstop musical entertainment all weekend long.

The festival takes place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Sept. 20, 21 and 22, 2019 and is presented by the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Foundation, the Men's and Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center, committee members, and volunteers.

This year's festival is dedicated to its founder, Gerry Curran, who passed away in July of 2019. Curran, the former President of the Danbury Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, co-founded the Irish Festival with the help of Sharon Higgins, Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians president, as a fundraiser to build the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center which is now located at 6 Lake Ave. in Danbury. The first Irish Festival was held at Rogers Park in Danbury in 1995, then moved to the Ives Center for many years, before finding its new home on the grounds of the Danbury Portuguese Cultural Center. 

Live music will perform on the main stage inside and festival goers can peruse authentic, traditional Irish jewelry and apparel from close to a dozen vendors. The Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians prepare delicious baked goods in the hospitality tent, and there is Irish food and drinks available for purchase as well. Shop in the Irish Village and get your holiday shopping done early! Peruse gifts, jewelry, Irish instruments, and other authentic, unique gift ideas from the Irish vendors who will sell their wares.

Outside, the cultural tent showcases a broad range of Irish heritage and gives festival-goers an up-close experience of Irish traditional music, Gaelic language, history, dance, genealogy, film, theater, and literature through live performances, displays, lectures, and workshops. All weekend long there will be displays on Women of the Easter Rising, Book of Kells, Irish crochet, Irish language and classes, Irish family histories, genealogy, Irish blessings, Irish literature, history of the potato famine, Irish traditional music history and classes and much more.

Also outside under the Cultural Tent will be the Children's Tent which is open from 12-6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and includes a wide variety of entertainment and activities for children and their families. The Children's Tent headline entertainer is Danny Diamond who will do balloon twisting on Saturday, Sept. 21 from 3-4 p.m. and a magic show from 1 - 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22. Miss Angie from PopRox Productions will be face painting Saturday and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. each day and there will be arts, crafts, games and more for children of all ages to enjoy.

The Greater Danbury Irish Festival will be held at 65 Sand Pit Road, Danbury, on the beautiful grounds of the Portuguese Cultural Center. Click here for more information.

INSIDE: Entertainment on the Main Stage:
Friday, Sept. 20, 2019:

  • 6:30 p.m. GDIF All-stars
  • 7:45 p.m. Mighty Ploughboys

Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019:

  • 12:00 – Traveling Danburys
  • 1:00 – Thorne Academy of Irish Dance
  • 1:45 – Steve O'Tree and Friends
  • 2:45 -Ashurst Academy of Irish Dance
  • 3:30 – Highland Rovers
  • 4:15 – Tipperary Knights
  • 5:15 -Madz and the Ladz
  • 6:15 -Morrighan's Flight
  • 7:30 – Highland Rovers
  • 8:45 – Tipperary Knights

Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019:

  • 12:00 – Doherty Petri School of Irish Dance
  • 12:45 – Uncle Bill Whiskey and Friends
  • 1:45 – Celtic Cross Pipe and Drum
  • 2:30 – SHILELAGH LAW
  • 3:45 – Cunningham Brothers
  • 5:00 – GDIF All-Stars

OUTSIDE: Cultural Tent Entertainment Schedule & Children's Tent:
Friday, Sept. 20, 2019

  • Displays on: Celtic Art, Book of Kells, Irish Crochet, Irish Language and Classes, Irish Family Histories, Genealogy, Irish Blessings, Irish Dance, Irish Literature, Irish Traditional Music History, World Meeting of Families in Ireland, Classes, and more

Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019

  • 12:00-1:00 PM: Music Games with Miss Wendy
  • 1:00 - 6:00 PM: Face Painting with Miss Angie from PopRox Productions
  • 1:00 – 2:00 PM: Uilleann Piper – Chris Finnegan, Irish Speaker
  • 2:00 – 3:00 PM: Cultural Exhibit
  • 3:00-4:00 PM: The Magic of Danny Diamond balloon twisting
  • 4:15 – 5:15 PM: Tipperary Knights
  • 5:15 - 6:00 PM: Cultural Entertainment

Sunday Outside - Cultural/Kid's Tent

  • 1:00 - 2:00 PM: Children's Magic Show with The Magic of Danny Diamond
  • 2:00 - 3:00 PM: Children's Sing-a-long & Games
  • 3:00 - 5:00 PM: Harp Performance - Regina Delaney
  • 5:00 - 6:00 PM: Andrew Carey Music

Children's Activities

  • Bubble Zone
  • Chalk Zone
  • Face Painting
  • Leprechaun Bean Bag Toss
  • Carnival Games
  • Make & Shake a Shamrock
  • Thumbprint Rainbows
  • Scavenger Hunt
  • Kid's Crafts & and MORE!

Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019

  • 1:00 – 2:00 PM: Traditional Irish Music (guitar & flute, voice) – Chicks-n-Sync
  • 2:00 – 3:00 PM: Traditional Irish Music (fiddle, tin whistle, flute) – GDICC musicians
  • 3:00 – 3:30 PM: Traditional Irish Singalong – Fiddleuisce and John Feeney
  • 3:30 – 4:30 PM: Harp Performance – Regina Delaney
  • 4:30 – 5:30 PM: Traditional Irish Music (Irish lute, guitar, voice) – Aindriú Ó'Ciardha

Raffle Tickets:

  • Tickets are $5 each
  • First Prize is $2,000
  • Second Prize is $1,000
  • Third Prize $500
  • Email Colleen O'Rourke at corourke2@aol.com for raffle tickets

For more information, click here, email DanburyIrish@gmail.com, call the club at 203-739-0010 or call Publicity Chair Wendy Mitchell at 203-501-7424.

Photo of Danny Diamond by Wendy Mitchell

K
Submitted by Katonah, NY

Become a Local Voice in Your Community!

HamletHub invites you to contribute stories, events, and more to keep your neighbors informed and connected.

Read Next