Irish Festival brings sustainable fun

Shamrock Shenanigans

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As temperatures rise throughout the summer, so does the excitement for CityScene Magazine’s 2023 Best of the ’Bus Best Suburban Festival winner, the Dublin Irish Festival.

People from all over the world will dust off their kilts and dig for their green, shamrock-covered apparel this August as they set out for the 36th annual Dublin Irish Festival.

This three-day festival – taking place Aug. 4-6 – works not only to celebrate Irish music, dance, culture and tradition but also to showcase what the City of Dublin has to offer. With three decades of history and almost 100,000 guests attending each year, the festival is Dublin’s biggest annual attraction.

Building back up

After a few years of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, City of Dublin Director of Events Alison LeRoy says the festival is finally picking back up and bringing several fan favorites back and better than before.

Kicking off the festival, the Dublin Irish Festival 5K & Kids Dash, presented by IGS Energy, takes runners and walkers through Historic Dublin the night before the festival. For the first time, participants get to continue the fun with a post-race party and concert in the parking lot behind Starbucks in Historic Dublin, and race participants 21 and over will receive one beer included in their race fee.

For visitors looking for some more family-friendly fun, the Wendy’s Wee Folk Area and Pot O’ Gold Playland are great places to stop by for bounce houses, arts and crafts, and dance performances.

With the help of the Autism Society of Central Ohio and the City of Dublin Adaptive Coordinators, LeRoy says there is a sensory tent located between the Celtic Canine area and the Wee Folk craft area.

“We created this area for kids who need a place that might be a little quieter so they can enjoy the experience,” LeRoy says. “I think it’s great, especially for parents. They know that they have that area that they can go and use it to take a break and that makes them feel a lot more comfortable in coming to the festival.”

The Friday night feis dance competition, which historically only included adults, was extended last year to include younger dancers, but LeRoy says it will return to an adult only event.

Another popular attraction that’s returning are the whiskey bars. Last year’s visitors got a taste of different varieties and cocktails featuring the spirit in two whiskey bars and LeRoy says they look forward to adding more variety this year.

“There’ll be one (tent) that’s really more high-end that has some different experiences that people can come out and do, and so that’s going to be something that we continue to grow,” LeRoy says. “Knowing that whiskey is a growing spirit in the country, it’s something that we want to focus on because it is really tied to the cultural aspect of the Irish.”

As always, local, national and international acts will bring plenty of musical entertainment across the seven stages throughout the grounds. More information about the groups and their performance times can be found online at www.dublinirishfestival.org.

Helping the planet and community

With thousands of attendees each year, a lot of waste is created over those three days, but the festival is working hard every year to decrease its carbon footprint.

To help cut down on things like plastic bottles, refillable water bottle stations known as Quench Buggies are located around the 38-acre festival grounds.

Recyclable beer cups are used at the many drink stations, with reusable mugs available as always.

A relatively new addition to the festival’s sustainability efforts is biodiesel generators and solar generators. Provided by the solar energy company ZeroFossil, these generators powered some parts of the festival last year, and while they can’t power the whole festival yet, LeRoys says they are looking to expand further.

“We had them in a couple of areas but we wanted them to power the Pot O’ Gold Playland so that we didn't have the diesel generators there,” LeRoy says.

The planet isn’t the only thing getting help at the festival. On top of the nearly 1,100 volunteers each year, LeRoy says there are several fundraising groups – such as homeowner’s associations and sports teams – that sell beverages to earn a portion of the proceeds.

“It’s a great way for them (to earn money),” LeRoy says. “We always say instead of having to do, like, a mulch sale, they can come out and sell beverages at the Irish Festival. It’s probably a little more fun.”

Cherished event

As someone who has been a part of the Dublin Irish Festival for 25 years, LeRoy says she has always enjoyed the event and sees it on the many faces who come out that weekend.

“The first time (people) come, they’re always blown away by the size and the different things that are going on,” she says. “And I think even when you explain it to somebody, you come in and it’s just amazing to see the people there.”

LeRoy says that for some, it is a weekend they look forward to and plan for all year so they try to make the most of it while it lasts.

“We have a ton of people who show up the minute we open the gates and don’t leave until we close the gates, and can’t wait to show up the next year,” LeRoy says. “It’s really developed a great community, whether it is the people who live in Dublin or the people who’ve just made it their tradition to come back to the festival every year because they love the culture and the experiences they have.”

Rachel Karas is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at rkaras@cityscenemediagroup.com.

Having visitors come from out of town who are looking for a place to stay? Visit Dublin is a wonderful resource that offers tips and information on hotels, restaurants and activities as well as some deals when booking through them. For more information, go to the organization’s website at www.visitdublinohio.com.

Here are some of the other offerings at the festival that you won’t want to miss!

Shopping: Choose from more than 90 vendors to purchase handmade jewelry, home décor, fine art and other goods

Food: Try some traditional Irish foods such as hearty stews and traditional Irish breakfasts, or simply revisit your favorite festival foods.

Sports: Compete or watch athletes from around the region compete in traditional Highland Games events and more.

Cultural: Learn about Irish history and culture through literary and historical presentations and hands-on workshops.

Learn more at www.dublinirishfestival.org.