Information on:

Southern Illinois Irish Festival

326 Vermont Rd.
618-549-3090

About Us:

The Festival began in 1997 by Charles Fanning, Director of the Southern Ilinois University Carbondale (SIUC) Irish and Irish Immigration Studies Program, as a Celebration of Irish American Music. Overwhelming response to this event prompted individuals in the community to organize the 1998 festival, which attracted 1000 participants.

SIUC’s Shryock Auditorium co-sponsored the Festival concerts in 1999 and 2000; the Festival became sole sponsor in 2001. A full-day Saturday Celtic Fair was added to the Festival in 1999. Attendance varies from 1,000-4,000 for the weekend events.

Festival activities compliment and enhance SIUC’s Irish and Irish American Immigration Studies Program and WSIU-FM’s nationally-syndicated Celtic Connections radio program, making Carbondale a hub of Irish/Celtic activities in the region. Until 2003, the Festival was loosely affiliated with SIUC, but self-supporting. In 2003, the Festival was approved by the IRS as a 501 (c)3 not-for-profit organization.

History:

The Southern Illinois Irish Festival is in its 12th year of bringing quality traditional Celtic music, dance and other cultural activities to the Southern Illinois region.

For the 5th year, the Festival will be held in Turley Park in Carbondale, IL.  The park is located on West Main (State Rt. 13W) and Glenview in Carbondale, IL., and has a daily trip count of between 25,000 and 30,000  vehicles a day.

Evening concerts are held at Mugsy McGuire’s, which is located just north of the park.

In addition to the two evening concerts the Festival will include on Saturday and Sunday: the Village Marketplace for vendors; stages for music and dance performers, cultural exhibits, a children’s area including crafts, games and sports, and Highland Games competitions.

Southern Illinois Irish Festival is not affiliated with AmericanTowns Media
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