Basic Information for Pittsburgh Irish Festival
Address: 1000 Sandcastle Dr, West Homestead, PA 15120
Hours: Early-Mid September, Friday through Saturday
Website: http://pghirishfest.org
Admission: $$
$12 Adults In Advance
$15 Adults at the Gate
$10 Seniors (over 60), student with I.D., public safety/military (retired or active) with I.D.
FREE – Children 12 and Under
$35 – Weekend Pass
Transportation: Car
Access: Outdoor, grass and pavement
About the Pittsburgh Irish Festival
Temporarily located in West Homestead at the Riverplex at Sandcastle sits the Annual Pittsburgh Irish Festival. Taking place the weekend after Labor Day every September, this three-day festival is meant to bring authentic Irish culture to the Pittsburgh community. Founded in 1991, the Pittsburgh Irish Festival has transformed into one of the nation’s finest Irish festivals with some of the most comprehensive exhibits of Irish food, dance, music, and lore. In 2018, the festival brought in more than 25,000 patrons and hundreds of volunteered staff members, making it the most successful one yet.
Nan Krushinski, the Festival’s co-founder and current director, schedules over 28 hours of continuous entertainment from Irish Dance schools such as the Pittsburgh Reelers, Shovlin Academy of Dance, and Burke Conroy School of Irish Dance, to up-and-coming Pittsburgh-based Celtic bands. More famous names like Tommy Makem, Paddy Reilly, and Dermot O’Brien have also graced one of the Festival’s three stages over the years. Besides live entertainment, the Festival offers physical activities such as Irish Hurling demonstrations and Axe-Throwing, educational-based tents such as Genealogy and the Cultural Hedge School, and kid-friendly areas such as Leprechaun’s Landing and the Irish Dog Breed station.
While there are so many kinesthetic activities the Festival provides, one of the most popular attractions is the Irish food and drink available for purchase. Shepherd’s Pie, Soda Bread, and Irish Whiskey stands are frequented by attendees from Friday until Sunday, at the Festival’s end. There is also a Marketplace that sells authentically-crafted Irish jewelry, blankets, metalwork, prayer cards, and other goods. The Pittsburgh Irish Festival is continuously growing, and with its growth comes its success in fulfilling its mission: “contributing to the rich cultural expression of Irish history and tradition that exists in Pittsburgh.”
Pittsburgh Gaelic Athletic Association
Where’s the craic at? In Ireland, you can hear this question from touristy Temple Bar in Dublin to the smallest street corner in Limerick. An apt synonym for craic is “fun,” but “fun” does not fully express the essence of “craic.” Where there is craic there are old friends making up for lost time, surrounded by dimmed pub lights and live music. Craic defines the famous Irish spirit of merriment and friendliness, and I believe equally encapsulates the charming neighborliness of Pittsburgh. After all, following German
Religious Tension in Ireland
Festivals are times of celebration, and the Pittsburgh Irish Festival is no different. Even though religion is a huge part of Irish culture, the festival remains relatively secular. Nan Krushiniski, one of the founders, says this is a conscious choice because there is still a lot of tension between Irish Catholics and Northern Irish Protestants. Because of this, there are not tents explicitly discussing religious history or about the historical tension between the Republic and Northern Ireland; however, they do have a Catholic Mass every year given in Gaelic. They do this b
The Annual Pittsburgh Irish Festival: An Educational Tool
The Pittsburgh Irish Festival, annually taking place the weekend after Labor Day, is a means to bring together a community interested in learning about Irish culture. It provides entertainment in the form of music, sports, and bringing traditions to life, but it also serves a much greater purpose not as visible to attendees: to educate about authentic Irish experiences and teach patrons as much as possible in just three short days. The Festival accomplishes its educational mission in myriad ways, and its assortment of tents and attractions are a prime example of this.