JOIN US - Irishfest La Crosse is proud to be working with AICF and the Irish Embassy to present
An Irish Christmas Concert on Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. CST
https://irishcelticfestivals.org/an-irish-christmas-concert/
Irishfest La Crosse Facebook page
If you missed the concert, you can still go back and watch it on FB or You Tube!
An Irish Christmas Concert on Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. CST
https://irishcelticfestivals.org/an-irish-christmas-concert/
Irishfest La Crosse Facebook page
If you missed the concert, you can still go back and watch it on FB or You Tube!
Irishfest La Crosse has been a member of the Association of Irish & Celtic Festivals since Irishfest La Crosse began. Since all of our festivals have been cancelled this year, we wanted to bring some Irish music to our supporters for Christmas. Most of the performers have played at Irishfest La Crosse or were scheduled to perform this year. We are happy to co-host this free, virtual Irish Christmas Concert on Wednesday, December 16, 7 p.m. with the AICF and the Embassy of Ireland.
The Association of Irish and Celtic Festivals (AICF) is proud to be hosting An Irish Christmas Concert, with generous support from the Embassy of Ireland, as a way to virtually celebrate the holidays with our Irish friends across the pond.
The AICF is composed of over 170 Irish and Celtic festivals from across the United States and Canada, and is dedicated to bringing the Irish culture, via music, education, food and dance, to those not in Ireland in the hopes that those traditions are never lost.
Taking place on Wednesday, December 16 at 7:00 p.m. CST, the AICF will be showcasing seven acts from Ireland, highlighting some of the country’s best musicians, from established acts to up and coming groups, in the hopes of bringing some holiday cheer to those around the world.
Mairin Petrone, from Pittsburgh Irish Festival and one of the executive board members for the AICF organization, said, “Nothing lifts your spirits quite like a classic Irish tune. We’re excited to host this inaugural event as a way to bring our organizations and communities together virtually, celebrate Irish Christmas traditions, and provide entertainment for those celebrating the holidays a bit differently this year.”
This event would not also be possible without the generous support of the Embassy, and H.E. Daniel Mulhall, the Ambassador of Ireland to the United States, said, ‘‘The world’s largest annual Irish festivals aren’t in Mayo, Meath, Kilkenny or Dublin, Ireland, but in cities across the USA. These and other festivals across this continent perform an incredible service, celebrating our culture and connecting Americans with their heritage. This Christmas, as we stay apart to contain the pandemic, I’m delighted that so many of our friends have come together virtually to present this concert. As we say in Irish, ní neart go cur le chéile – we are strongest together.’’
Performers for the event include:
Aoife Scott, who has steadily risen to the top of the traditional and folk music scene, has long enjoyed success as an established artist in her own right. Fragile and ethereal one minute and strong and vibrant the next, her dynamic and profound vocals explore the emotional depths of her lyrics, leaving the audience entranced.
Dervish, a group that marries technical brilliance with a rare sensibility, born of an understanding of the music and many years of playing together. Dervish are long-established as one of the biggest names in Irish music internationally. They’re renowned for live performances, which match dazzling sets of tunes with stunning interpretations of traditional songs.
The High Kings, one of the most well-known Irish ballad groups in modern culture, bringing a new take on traditional Irish ballads to audiences of multiple generations. The High Kings continue to set the bar extremely high for Irish Folk bands across the world and are widely regarded to be at the forefront of the genre.
Screaming Orphans, a group of four sisters with the good fortune to have been raised in the magic of Bundoran in County Donegal, Ireland. The sisters, since they were young, have been singing and playing traditional Irish music, but knew they wanted to do more, and as they grew older, became a pop-rock group, growing into the group they are today.
Shane Hennessy, an Irish virtuoso guitarist who has established himself as one of the leading guitarists on the world stage, known widely for his fingerstyle, flatpicking, and percussive guitar-playing approaches. His energetic live performances and his cinematically-vivid compositions tie in influences from Bach to Beyoncé – and everything in between.
When asked for his thoughts on this upcoming performance Shane said, “AICF and all its members have made me feel so welcome each time I’ve visited the United States. What started as a showcase appearance a few years ago has turned into a wide network of friends and supporters, and their nurturing of myself and my fellow Irish artists has introduced us to new audiences all over the USA. I am so thankful for their support now, at the most difficult time for musicians and artists in recent history. This stream will bring a lot of joy to fans of Irish culture all over the world, in particular those of us who desperately miss the festival scene!”
Socks in the Frying Pan, who are a multi-award winning trio from County Clare on the West coast of Ireland, the universal hub of Irish traditional music. Their dynamic vocal harmonies, virtuosic musical ability and their onstage wit has captured and captivated audiences the world around.
We Banjo 3, who has since emerged as fast-rising touring darlings in the country that two of the members now call home. The Galway, Ireland, and Nashville-based quartet––comprised of two sets of brothers, Enda & Fergal Scahill and Martin & David Howley––continually push musical boundaries while maintaining an unwavering devotion to the essential audience experience.
The stream will be produced by O’Neill Events and Marketing.
For more information about this event, or for festivals interested in joining the AICF, please visit https://irishcelticfestivals.org/an-irish-christmas-concert/
The Association of Irish and Celtic Festivals (AICF) is proud to be hosting An Irish Christmas Concert, with generous support from the Embassy of Ireland, as a way to virtually celebrate the holidays with our Irish friends across the pond.
The AICF is composed of over 170 Irish and Celtic festivals from across the United States and Canada, and is dedicated to bringing the Irish culture, via music, education, food and dance, to those not in Ireland in the hopes that those traditions are never lost.
Taking place on Wednesday, December 16 at 7:00 p.m. CST, the AICF will be showcasing seven acts from Ireland, highlighting some of the country’s best musicians, from established acts to up and coming groups, in the hopes of bringing some holiday cheer to those around the world.
Mairin Petrone, from Pittsburgh Irish Festival and one of the executive board members for the AICF organization, said, “Nothing lifts your spirits quite like a classic Irish tune. We’re excited to host this inaugural event as a way to bring our organizations and communities together virtually, celebrate Irish Christmas traditions, and provide entertainment for those celebrating the holidays a bit differently this year.”
This event would not also be possible without the generous support of the Embassy, and H.E. Daniel Mulhall, the Ambassador of Ireland to the United States, said, ‘‘The world’s largest annual Irish festivals aren’t in Mayo, Meath, Kilkenny or Dublin, Ireland, but in cities across the USA. These and other festivals across this continent perform an incredible service, celebrating our culture and connecting Americans with their heritage. This Christmas, as we stay apart to contain the pandemic, I’m delighted that so many of our friends have come together virtually to present this concert. As we say in Irish, ní neart go cur le chéile – we are strongest together.’’
Performers for the event include:
Aoife Scott, who has steadily risen to the top of the traditional and folk music scene, has long enjoyed success as an established artist in her own right. Fragile and ethereal one minute and strong and vibrant the next, her dynamic and profound vocals explore the emotional depths of her lyrics, leaving the audience entranced.
Dervish, a group that marries technical brilliance with a rare sensibility, born of an understanding of the music and many years of playing together. Dervish are long-established as one of the biggest names in Irish music internationally. They’re renowned for live performances, which match dazzling sets of tunes with stunning interpretations of traditional songs.
The High Kings, one of the most well-known Irish ballad groups in modern culture, bringing a new take on traditional Irish ballads to audiences of multiple generations. The High Kings continue to set the bar extremely high for Irish Folk bands across the world and are widely regarded to be at the forefront of the genre.
Screaming Orphans, a group of four sisters with the good fortune to have been raised in the magic of Bundoran in County Donegal, Ireland. The sisters, since they were young, have been singing and playing traditional Irish music, but knew they wanted to do more, and as they grew older, became a pop-rock group, growing into the group they are today.
Shane Hennessy, an Irish virtuoso guitarist who has established himself as one of the leading guitarists on the world stage, known widely for his fingerstyle, flatpicking, and percussive guitar-playing approaches. His energetic live performances and his cinematically-vivid compositions tie in influences from Bach to Beyoncé – and everything in between.
When asked for his thoughts on this upcoming performance Shane said, “AICF and all its members have made me feel so welcome each time I’ve visited the United States. What started as a showcase appearance a few years ago has turned into a wide network of friends and supporters, and their nurturing of myself and my fellow Irish artists has introduced us to new audiences all over the USA. I am so thankful for their support now, at the most difficult time for musicians and artists in recent history. This stream will bring a lot of joy to fans of Irish culture all over the world, in particular those of us who desperately miss the festival scene!”
Socks in the Frying Pan, who are a multi-award winning trio from County Clare on the West coast of Ireland, the universal hub of Irish traditional music. Their dynamic vocal harmonies, virtuosic musical ability and their onstage wit has captured and captivated audiences the world around.
We Banjo 3, who has since emerged as fast-rising touring darlings in the country that two of the members now call home. The Galway, Ireland, and Nashville-based quartet––comprised of two sets of brothers, Enda & Fergal Scahill and Martin & David Howley––continually push musical boundaries while maintaining an unwavering devotion to the essential audience experience.
The stream will be produced by O’Neill Events and Marketing.
For more information about this event, or for festivals interested in joining the AICF, please visit https://irishcelticfestivals.org/an-irish-christmas-concert/
Our friends, We Banjo 3, also have a Winter Wonderful livestream on Dec. 18, join us there also!
If you purchased a ticket, you can watch again for the next 30 days!
If you purchased a ticket, you can watch again for the next 30 days!
WE BANJO 3’s “A WINTER WONDERFUL”
A Holiday Livestream
December 18 at 7 pm CT
Tickets On Sale Now at https://goaff.pro/IrishFest_LaCrosse
or Tickets & Exclusive Merch Bundles
https://fanlink.to/WinterWonderfulTix
We Banjo 3 (WB3) hosts a festive holiday livestream airing December 18 at 8pm ET. Dubbed “A Winter Wonderful,” the evening will feature a special WB3 performance, plus musical sets by Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn, Skerryvore, The Whileaways, BackWest & Ajeet. Event tickets are $20, with limited edition merch bundles available at higher price points. Each ticket purchase includes on-demand access until December 26, 2020. Tikets available now at https://fanlink.to/WinterWonderfulTix .
A Holiday Livestream
December 18 at 7 pm CT
Tickets On Sale Now at https://goaff.pro/IrishFest_LaCrosse
or Tickets & Exclusive Merch Bundles
https://fanlink.to/WinterWonderfulTix
We Banjo 3 (WB3) hosts a festive holiday livestream airing December 18 at 8pm ET. Dubbed “A Winter Wonderful,” the evening will feature a special WB3 performance, plus musical sets by Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn, Skerryvore, The Whileaways, BackWest & Ajeet. Event tickets are $20, with limited edition merch bundles available at higher price points. Each ticket purchase includes on-demand access until December 26, 2020. Tikets available now at https://fanlink.to/WinterWonderfulTix .
Sad day for Irishfest La Crosse!
Our 16th year of Irishfest La Crosse is officially cancelled. What was to be a special year with a tremendous lineup and some new attractions has to be put on hold until August 2021.
We have always had a close relationship with the good folks that handle the Milwaukee Irish Fest and when they officially cancelled a few days ago we knew we were in trouble. Because of this relationship we've been able to bring some of the best Irish Entertainment to La Crosse. As a smaller festival, we cannot afford to bring that top-notched entertainment to the Midwest on our own.
Casey has been working with all the agents for the entertainers and at this time, rather than having them return deposits, it appears most of the groups will hold on to those dollars and just consider them a down payment for 2021. We’re hopeful we can have the same lineups for 2021.
We will be contacting the Sponsors to discuss options. Again, we are hopeful that most if not all will simply apply their 2020 sponsorships to 2021. If not, we’ll have to discuss refunds.
We have elected to follow the same options with ticket holders that Milwaukee adopted:
1) 2020 tickets will be reissued for admission in 2021
2) Dollars paid for tickets could simply be donated to Irishfest La Crosse
3) Ticket money can be refunded. Go to: support@gopassage.com
We will be contacting our vendors. Giving them the option of holding their deposits for 2021 or having them returned.
Because of the virus, summer 2020 will be very different with hundreds of activities being cancelled, postponed, or rescheduled into the Fall with hopes that we can return to safer environments.
We have had a great 15 year run with our Irishfest. Let’s just consider this a mild setback that gives us a great opportunity to plan the best fest possible in 2021.
Irishfest La Crosse Executive Committee
Pat Stephens-President
Kathleen Ryan-Vice President
Shelli Kult-Secretary
Sue Crothers-Treasurer
Our 16th year of Irishfest La Crosse is officially cancelled. What was to be a special year with a tremendous lineup and some new attractions has to be put on hold until August 2021.
We have always had a close relationship with the good folks that handle the Milwaukee Irish Fest and when they officially cancelled a few days ago we knew we were in trouble. Because of this relationship we've been able to bring some of the best Irish Entertainment to La Crosse. As a smaller festival, we cannot afford to bring that top-notched entertainment to the Midwest on our own.
Casey has been working with all the agents for the entertainers and at this time, rather than having them return deposits, it appears most of the groups will hold on to those dollars and just consider them a down payment for 2021. We’re hopeful we can have the same lineups for 2021.
We will be contacting the Sponsors to discuss options. Again, we are hopeful that most if not all will simply apply their 2020 sponsorships to 2021. If not, we’ll have to discuss refunds.
We have elected to follow the same options with ticket holders that Milwaukee adopted:
1) 2020 tickets will be reissued for admission in 2021
2) Dollars paid for tickets could simply be donated to Irishfest La Crosse
3) Ticket money can be refunded. Go to: support@gopassage.com
We will be contacting our vendors. Giving them the option of holding their deposits for 2021 or having them returned.
Because of the virus, summer 2020 will be very different with hundreds of activities being cancelled, postponed, or rescheduled into the Fall with hopes that we can return to safer environments.
We have had a great 15 year run with our Irishfest. Let’s just consider this a mild setback that gives us a great opportunity to plan the best fest possible in 2021.
Irishfest La Crosse Executive Committee
Pat Stephens-President
Kathleen Ryan-Vice President
Shelli Kult-Secretary
Sue Crothers-Treasurer
Irish Music PerformersYep, you'll be dancing the jig to these great performers. Check it out!
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Schedule of EventsFour stages filled with exciting, authentic, Irish entertainment. Something for everyone in the family!
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Food & BeverageDelectable food and beverage served by local vendors that specialize in the finest fare Ireland has to offer
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Family EntertainmentActivities for all your lads and lasses-Irish dance lessons, games, songs, storytelling and much more!
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Would you like to become a special friend
of Irishfest La Crosse? Would you like: Your name on the sponsor board? Attend the Pre-fest dinner & concert? Receive special Irishfest gifts? Your name in the program? VIP Admission tickets? Sit in the VIP Section near the stage? VIP Parking? Receive drink tickets, food/drink tokens? Hang your company banner? If you answered yes to any of these, click here for more details on how you can become our special friend!
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2020 Irishfest Raffle
Would you like to take a trip to Ireland?
Win a trip to Ireland, a pair of Packer tickets, a handmade Irish quilt or a VIP package for 2021 For details click here |
We Need You - Volunteers Needed
Signup is open!
Become part of the Irishfest team! Volunteers are an important part of the festival each year, we couldn't do it without you!
Sign up now to volunteer and get free admission to the fest on the day you volunteer and a cool volunteer t-shirt.
Sign up now to volunteer and get free admission to the fest on the day you volunteer and a cool volunteer t-shirt.
Images from irishfest
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