I have been coming to the Dublin Irish Festival for decades. How much it's grown is really amazing! Coffman Park has really turned I to a beautiful spot, too, with lots of playgrounds and landscaping. The fest itself is full of great vendors, food options, and so many talented performers and musicians. You can't fault any of the food or performance options! A few things of note: it's not cheap. Online price is $25 for over 12 years old. 11 and under are free and don't require tickets. A lot of free parking options nearly, too, which helps. We came at 4pm Friday, right at opening. It is honestly inexplicable how dirty the portajohns were already. There are so many but twice in two different locations, both pretty grody. Prices for food and drinks aren't cheap, either. Tokens for water/soda at the beverage tent are $4 per drink equivalent and beers are $8-9 as the cheapest option. Food trucks are a wide range, but I'd say a beef hot dog $7 and most meals $14-15. Maybe I'm stuck in 90s prices, though! All in all, if the weather is nice, it's a great way to hear music and shop some lovely vendors. Fun night out! I don't prefer to stay at night anymore because I'm not much of a partier, but it can be great fun. read more

Dublin Irish Festival - Local Flavor Near Me - Dublin, Ohio

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The Dublin Irish Festival is an institution for a reason! To be honest, it's not an every year event for me, there is a LOT going on, but it's definitely a must see. I think the festival is really well laid out. There are about 6 main stages, and some smaller event tents scattered throughout, in addition to the athletic area (don't miss the Highland Games, they're fascinating!). There is always music somewhere, but the tents are spread out enough that you don't get a lot of overflow. I like to go to the Games, the Police and Fire Pipe and Drum Corps, and this year, we spent a lot of time at the Celtic Rock stage. If you're going for the evening performances at the Rock stage, it's a good idea to bring a chair, though I don't know what you'd do with it earlier in the day..... Gaelic Storm on Saturday night was PACKED, and they weren't the headliner! There is a ton of food to chose from, and again, it's kind of scattered across the park to keep things moving. It's ALWAYS hot as heck for this festival. They have water refill stations, several, and again, throughout the park, which was an awesome option. I brought extra water, but really only needed one bottle. Parking is a pain in the butt - various business have paid parking to capitalize on the crowd (and who could blame them), and you can park for free a quarter to half mile away at various city owned properties. There are also one or more shuttle lots (also free) that I did not use, but my friend said was really easy. It's hot, it's crowded, you walk a lot, but the music and the people watching are great. No joke - I saw a group of Storm Troopers in kilts. Where else can you find that?! read more

This was the 37th year for the Dublin Irish Festival. It's always the first weekend of August. My wife and I haven't been attending for 37 years but we haven't missed more than 1 or 2 in the last 25 years. I always put next year's festival on my calendar while at this year's festival. Whether you're actually Irish or just Irish for the festival, the festival is a celebration of all things Irish - food, music, culture and sports. There are 7 stages offering music of all varieties. Something for everyone. Plan now for August 2025. read more

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Kudos to city of Dublin for such a well run festival. There is something for everyone. Lots of options for food, music and kids activities. The bands were so much fun. Be prepared for crowds and long lines for Irish food (everyone wants that corned beef sandwich). Happily, the line for whiskey drinks was short. Some people bring their own chairs to sit and listen to the music. They do have seating at all of the sound stages, but lots of people were looking for seats. read more

Dublin Irish Festival - Local Flavor Near Me - Dublin, Ohio

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After 5 years of living in Central Ohio I finally made it to the Dublin Irish Fest this year. I attended on Sunday when there's a variety of church services in the morning before the bands, competitions, etc kick off. Usually on Sundays before 11 am you can bring canned goods/toiletries for the Dublin Food Pantry for entry instead of paying for the $30 tickets. I do feel as though $30 is a high price for the festival, but maybe I didn't get to experience the best parts. Plenty of food options for lunch between more traditional Irish meals and various local food trucks. There were also plenty of the whiskey bars with different whiskey mixed drinks and other drinks. The lines were short but this was lunchtime. I tried the Irish Root Bear Float which I liked and thought was very fairly priced at $10. read more

Dublin Irish Festival - Irish Root Beer Float - Local Flavor Near Me - Dublin, Ohio

I absolutely love the Dublin Irish Festival but is was especially great since I got to actually travel to Ireland in April this year. All the music, dancing, shops and events all brought back so many wonderful travel memories. This year I especially enjoyed the band Socks in the Frying Pan! I also thought the Irish Dancing was exceptional this year. While everything was a little more expensive, I kind of expected it, since everything is more expensive thanks to Biden! But I tried stay positive and focus on the fun. I enjoyed strolling through shops and crafts. There was a Celtic Canine area I thought was fun. I couldn't help myself so I devoured some fish and chips and a Limerick Lemonade. There was so much to enjoy. I do wish they had some more Irish food choices at this event. It's the only thing I feel is missing but besides that, I thought this year was spot on! If you've never been to the Dublin Irish Festival, make a point to hit it next year. I know I'll be there! read more

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Another great Dublin Irish Fest, fantastic live music and amazing arts and crafts booths to explore! Tons of food truck options as well! read more

Dublin Irish Festival - Local Flavor Near Me - Dublin, Ohio

We go to this festival every year and it's the best Irish festival! It's fun for the whole family!

My family and I love the Dublin Irish festival! There is so much fun to have for all ages. Our personal favorite is looking at all the Celtic crafts for sale, Celtic dogs and the Rock stage! Gaelic Storm is one of our favorite performances and we see them every time. We also love the red hot chili pipers. The Irish step dancers are phenomenal and fun to watch too. So much talent and hard work. The music and entertainment is split up throughout the festival grounds depending on rock, traditional, or step dancing. So if you prefer a more quiet and relaxing entertainment area then the trinity stage is great. The Dublin Irish festival kicks off on a Thursday night on the first weekend in August with a kids fun run, 5k, then pub crawl. Friday night is our favorite night to attend the festival as it's less crowded and easier to navigate. Parking is free and just a short walk to the festival. Pedicabs are available to take you to and from the festival. Food and drinks are plentiful at the Dublin Irish festival. Tokens are purchased for soda, water or alcoholic beverages. There are Jameson tastings, Guinness on draft and other drink selections. They even had white claw this year! We made a wish on the wishing tree, learned about Irish culture and traditions, and saw some pretty awesome musical performances! read more

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I have never been disappointed with the Irish festival in Dublin. This is a huge affair, apparently the largest Irish festival outside of Ireland. Pros: There are large crowds but while everyone is having fun, it is a very well behaved crowd and you don't get overwhelmed. In fact it's great because the chances of running into someone you know is very high. We have always met up with friends at the festival. The food lines are quite reasonable when say compared to the ribs festival in downtown Columbus. There is plenty of quality music and you can almost find what you like from the program. Try the Irish whiskey cake. I highly recommend it! The entrance is very reasonable. Cons: I'm not sure If this is a real negative but the quality of the food trucks are a hit or miss. We have had really great corned beef and mediocre ones too. Same for the Irish stew and the fish and chips. The beer is a bit expensive ($6) but not bad for a festival. Overall, the pros significantly outweigh the cons. If you haven't been, I'd definitely give it a try! read more

Dublin Irish Festival - Irish Thunder Stage - Local Flavor Near Me - Dublin, Ohio

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Alrighty. I feel the need to off-set some of the reviews with my insider info. Parking is a witch... come early, park at the high school lot. It's not so bad. Save $$ by: 1) purchasing tickets on-line at least 30 hours in advance of Friday ($9 a day or $20 for a whole weekend pass) 2) getting in free on Sunday morning, in time for the church celebrations - don't miss the mass in Gaelic. All you need to do is bring a nonperishable food item for the Dublin food bank. "Gates open at 9:30 a.m. for Sunday Services and breakfast. Free Sunday admission until 11a.m. with a donation of a nonperishable food item benefiting the Dublin Food Pantry." 3) bring your own non-alky bevs and light food....up to 2 bottles of sealed beverages per person. Bring them in a grocery bag - normal sized coolers not permitted... I use the reusable grocery bags... then I have something with sturdy handles to bring my Irish booty home in (literally, not figuratively) "What is allowed?: Two sealed non-alcoholic beverages per person (up to a total of 1 liter) in a non-glass container Food Small insulated soft-sided bags not larger than standard 6-pack size (6" x 8" x 5"), one per person" 4) getting your name on the whiskey tasting list early (you must get on early - they fill up fast), doing that THEN having one or two brews. You probably won't need much more. Things that are uniquely cool: -An Irish Wake -A Celtic life living display -Celtic Canines to pet and love on -Great vendors, jewelry, clothing, foods and more -Amazing music, usually the one before the big headliner is a pretty cool find -People who teach you how to play Celtic Games -People who tell you stories or teach you some Gaelic -The dancers (if you like that kind of thing, I find the bouncy curls just a wee bit agitating) -**Brew made especially for the festival at the local Bud plant: Dublin Irish Stout ****typically sells out by Saturday -Afore mentioned Whiskey tasting is informational and fun and riddled with ribald toasts! You'll learn quite a bit --Men in kilts (or I guess girls in kilts, too.) The community spirit is fun and collaborative. Sunday Services are something to really experience, from Druid to Gaelic Catholic Mass, to nondenominational ...... all are pretty awesome! read more

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If you haven't been to Dublin Irish Festival, you're missing out on a whole lot of fun! With locally famous and world famous music acts, traditional Irish dancing, spoken word, story telling, vendors of a little bit of everything, Irish dogs, Viking craftsmen, various Druid and Christian worship services, drum lines, bagpipes and more kilts than you can shake a stick at, this festival has something for everyone! If you're a little Irish, or appreciate the Irish, I highly recommend visiting Dublin Irish Festival next August. Bring comfortable walking shoes and arrive hungry! read more

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I used to attend the Dublin Irish Festival every year for ages, but lost steam the last couple of years. Just got bored with the same old food and same old entertainment. We even ran into the same people in the exact same spot 3 years in a row. I will make it a point to go when I know Celtic Storm, a talented and clever Irish rock band, is playing. With that said, Irish Festival is by no means a bad festival. If anything, brings a lot people and money to Dublin, but I was somewhat befuddled to learn it is ranked among America's Top 100 Festivals by Business Week or some big magazine. There are quite a few cool things about the Irish Festival, including the enthusiasm of its board members who put a year's worth of effort into planning. The huge sand sculpture has become an annual tradition too. I tend to compare it to the butter sculptures at the Ohio State Fair- perhaps not as elaborate- but equally delicate. The market place is so-so. Artisans set up shop under the big tent and peddle their wares to us festival-goers drunk on Guinness and mead. So, if you can overlook the same ol' fair food and same ol' arts and crafts and same ol' line dancers, then you'll have a good time! I've learned if I don't go every year, it feels more fresh and I actually look forward to it. When we last went in 2007, the Irish Festival was the site of a massive, 2 minute Irish Jig, hoping to set the Guiness Book of World Records for the largest Irish Jig en masse. And we did... They even handed out stickers to prove we took part. As the official record proclaims: "The largest Irish dance involved 10,036 participants at the Dublin Irish Festival organized by the City of Dublin in Dublin, Ohio USA on 4 August 2007." The record doesn't automatically guarantee entry into the annual book because of space limitations, but all new records are considered for inclusion and are listed on the website. Check it out. Now, where did I put that sticker? read more

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2017's 30th DIF celebration was an awesome one! The DIF is always the first weekend in August, which can usually be a hot, humid time. This year was fortunate as the weather cooperated for much of the time. Tickets at the gate were $15 each day. I bought a three day pass online beforehand for $25. If looking for a single day pass, it is $10 online. You need to buy your tickets before the festival begins for the discounted price. Saturday had the largest crowds. Sunday afternoon was the least crowded. Usually, I visit for a day, but with the terrific weather and some of my favorite Celtic bands, I went for all three days this year. The festival offers a wide variety of food and drinks. This was the last year where you had to buy drink tokens. You can find a wide variety of food available, from the crab cakes, bahama mama's to more Celtic oriented such as corned beef, shepherd's pie, fish & chips (okay - fries) and there was even haggis! Yes, I had some haggis. It was actually quite mild tasting. The mini-doughnuts were a smash hit. Many of the same vendors return year after year. Over the years, I look forward to the Irish Bakery, Welsh Cookie Co and the Earthen Craft Pottery. You can find a variety of imported Irish / Celtic wares, arts & crafts and much more to browse around. The vendors have been fun to interact with. There are lots of family and cultural activities available. I love listening to the music and watching the Irish step dancing. The festival brings in some great bands such as Skerryvore, Gaelic Storm and the Prodigals. It is not uncommon to see someone kick off their shoes and have their feet carry them away with some step dancing. I never watched the Highland games in the past. Usually, it is in an open field where you stand around in the heat. There were bleacher seats with very cooperative weather. It was a lot of fun learning about the games and cheering on the competitors! I definitely look forward to seeing more next time. Something I commend the festival organizers about is the discount program established with Uber. If you used a discount code (available on the DIF web site) you could get a reduced fare. We saw many folks waiting and taking advantage (thankfully) of the opportunity. Well done, Dublin! Looking forward to next year! read more

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Here we go! This was my first time going to Dublin Irish Festival. And I have to say there is a lot going on here! We first walked in and found ourselves near one of the main stages playing loud amazing Irish music. Along our other side were all the food vendors, and they all smelled amazing! Eventually we found ourselves stopping by one of these tempting vendors and getting a big Reuben sandwich! It was so flippin good! And what would Irish Fest be without some beer, the system they have kind of encourages you to drink, because you have to buy tokens before hand, and you spend your tokens at the beer booths. So if you don't end up spending all your tokens, you have still payed the money for your beer, so its best if you get your moneys worth and spend them all (Pro-Tip: just buy the smallest package of tokens if you are unsure of how much drinking you are going to do, there are no discounts for buying the larger bundles, so if you find yourself wanting more, just get more tokens.) Entrance is 10$ an adult. Fair food is about the same as any other fair, $7 bucks a plate. beer is like $6 bucks a drink. And then you have all your Irish art and merchandise for sale, that's all at high vendor prices. The experience is amazing it really is a fest filled with nice and friendly people. I would totally find myself here again next year. read more

Dublin Irish Festival - Remembering that you had planned on being somewhere else, but forgot because you were too busy at Irish Fest. - Local Flavor Near Me - Dublin, Ohio

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"As good as it gets"? Yeah, I'll buy that. This was a great festival. Yes, there's a fee to get in; I was able to park for free, though, and my lovely sweetie got the tix so I can't complain... Lots to see, a nice location, plenty of sustenance (I didn't partake, but there was a lot of beer and whiskey around if you can imagine that...) The grounds are very nice, with a fair amount of shade and plenty of attractions scattered about. Easy to find food and drink. I was disappointed that there wasn't more in the way of Irish food; the choices seemed to be fair food, Scottish/English food, some local joints like the Hey Hey and Schmidt's, and a few Irish places. Still, there was plenty of good stuff. Also a lot of nice crafts and other merchandise, not just trinkets. And, several music stages so there was always something going on nearby. The Celtic Canines were fun to visit, and there were plenty of things for kids if you bring them. All in all, a very good time. read more

What a great event! There is plenty of food and so many different events to attend, so many that much of it overlaps so you have to sometimes flip a coin to decide which one to choose. There are so many vendors selling all things Irish, there is something for everyone. Food: Fried pickles from Old Bag of Nails Bangers and Chips from Highland Glenn Foods A shortbread cookie from a random vendor selling scones and other sweets. The shows: Richens/Timms Academy of Irish Dance Two2Many The Academy Irish Dance Company Shamrock Club Pipes and Drums read more

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Had so so much fun during the Dublin Irish Festival this year!! Friday night was full of great music, incredible food booths, and wonderful shopping and events. This is one of my favorite events of every year and I am beyond glad at the schedule for this weekend! It was fabulous, and I stocked up on delicious goodies from an Irish bakery!! read more

I love love love love the Irish Festival! A lot of people think this is just a normal, smaller festival with some fair food and entertainment. Welp, they are wrong. This is a must see event. They have traditional Irish food, music, dancers, dogs, clothing, and entertainment. I mean where else in Ohio can you watch a rugby tournament, eat a traditional Reuben and hash, attend an Irish wake, watch Richens & Timms dancers, buy Irish jewelry and souvenirs, eat some Irish soda bread, all while sitting next to an Irish Wolfhound and a man in a kilt. I pretty much plan my weekend around this and get the weekend pass to attend. Plus Gaelic Storm performs Friday night to kick off the Festival, and this is my favorite band. I don't mean favorite Irish band, but favorite band. So Erin Go Braugh, and cheers (since the Irish always have a beer in hand). Come next year!!! read more

Dublin Irish Festival - Local Flavor Near Me - Dublin, Ohio

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We love this festival and drive up from Cincinnati to attend. There are so many different forms of entertainment that there's something for everyone-traditional Irish music, Celtic rock, spoken word, dancing, crafts. Beer and food are great! We partake in the beer... For us it's beer and music with some dance thrown in. The crowd is great! The heat, not so great, but what else can you expect for the first weekend of August?? This was our first time with our Kindergartner in tow, so it changed our approach. We paid $10 for her to play in playland area all day Saturday. We did it first thing so that she could experience all the inflatables without much line. We went about our day, then went back and the place was PACKED. There were some issues where kids climbed up the inflatable slide, then got scared and wouldn't come back down or slide down. But no one did anything about it. It held up the already long lines unnecessarily because the operator took too long to figure out that he needed to go up there to fetch the kid. Saturday night the porta potties were in pretty rough shape. They stay on top of then, but after so much use, it's hard to keep up. They were cleaned by Sunday morning. Definitely check this festival out! read more

Dublin Irish Festival - We come every year!! - Local Flavor Near Me - Dublin, Ohio

We plan our summer vacationing around the dates for the Dublin Irish Festival. This is a not to be missed event for all things Irish: the food and drink, the Irish culture, and the wonderful music and dance venues! With several different entertainment stages spread out over the Festival Grounds, it is hard to choose where to go next! It is worth going for at least 2 days of the festival to take in as much as possible. The Celtic Canines are fun to see. For little ones there are great play areas and craft tables. Check out the Sand Castle! Gingers rule! read more

Dublin Irish Festival - Gaelic Storm at Celtic Rock Venue 8/3/12 - Local Flavor Near Me - Dublin, Ohio

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This is the second year I've been to the festival and it's been great both times. Good variety of vendors, neat programming and great music. This year we had VIP tickets for Gaelic Storm Friday night. Our seats weren't great--not close to the stage so we couldn't really see--but we had access to the amazing bathrooms and the VIP bar tent, and were able to move closer to the fence when the higher-prices seats didn't fill. Nice! The festival lost a star for its token system. The tokens are $2 each, can only be used at the festival beverage tents and can't be traded in if you don't use them all. Complicating things, independent vendors selling drinks take cash, not tokens. I'd love to see the festival move to a more seamless payment system. Earlier this year we attended Bunbury and were super impressed with their new RFID wristband system. All the vendors were equipped with a reader and it was the only payment system. Lines went super fast and it was great to not be fumbling with cash while trying to grab your food and drink and get out of the way. And another suggestion: wristbands for the over 21 crowd so we don't have to keep showing ID every time we buy a drink! read more

I really enjoy the Dublin Irish Festival each time I go! The main reasons we go are for the food and the Irish dancers. Oh, and also the pipe and drum groups. We had an awesome reuben sandwich, bangers and chips, and a funnel cake! We enjoyed several performances by pipe and drum groups and Irish dance academies. My only complaint is that everything is so loud! I always end up plugging my ears at the big stages because the volumes really could be damaging. I thought we sat far enough away from the speakers this year, and it was still a problem, so I'll be trying to remember ear plugs in the future. Even with my ears plugged, I can still hear everything quite well. read more

I was really expecting more from this event. I have been to our local Celtic Festival here in the small town of Monroe/West Monroe and I can say we do better! Over priced, long lines and did I say over priced! I am an SCAer and you the public would do better to stop by one of our events to get a better show/ price and entertainment than this event had to offer! I did enjoy speaking to some other SCA member merchants. Spending time watching my son in law stand in lines! LOL read more

Dublin Irish Festival - pretty - Local Flavor Near Me - Dublin, Ohio

So fun and so much to do! I never realized how far this festival spans - lots to see and do, plus the bands we heard were a BLAST! Festivals always have great food, but the variety here is probably only second to the State Fair. We participated in the reenactment of founding of Ireland... so interesting and actually not cheesy. Very fun and cool to hear. Beers are $6, which I wish could come down to at least 5. Lines for tokens are LONG, that was my only complaint. We actually lucked into a parking spot closer than expected because I think the earlier crowd had cleared out by our arrival. Expect to walk however if you have to park near the outskirts. I would suggest going later at night if you don't have children with you, when the bands get a little more wild and it cools off outside. Can't wait for next year. I'm going to allow myself about 4 hours instead of just 2! read more

Dublin Irish Festival - Local Flavor Near Me - Dublin, Ohio

Not my favorite festival. Coming from a SCA family, I love to be in the midst of reenactments. Having a bit of Irish heritage myself, I love Irish music and dance. I expected this to be my new favorite festival. I have been to every Columbus festival I could over the last year. I haven't had to pay to get into the others. $12 to get into this one. I had to park about twenty miles away (small exaggeration) and the bicycle carriages wanted about $20 to give you a ride. There was some fantastic live music - 5 stages. The dance was a favorite of my daughter and niece. Bagpipe performances didn't disappoint. Many of the vendors had quality products with great craftsmanship. Many had jacked up prices. Food smells enticed us to try a few things - all delish. Bathroom situations were less than ideal. read more

I was never big on these sort of events having been to many in different places I have lived. They all were all were crowded, music was too loud and the food was your typical food truck garbage. Then I checked out the Dublin Irish fest. It's so big that you never feel crowded and it's so big you can pick what kind of music, food and entertainment you like. The Irish dancing, Celtic cultural and food make for a very authentic and fun experience!! read more

The Dublin Irish festival is the best value in a music festival. For a rather small entrance fee ($5 if you got your ticket during special times, to $10 at the gate) it is very inexpensive. Four main music tents with a number of smaller ones with music, dance, and various other activities...this is a deal. The food is reasonably priced. read more

GO! It's a one-word recommendation for the Dublin Irish Festival. I believe it sums up what a YELP'r is supposed to do - deliver a message to readers. Really, the Dublin Irish Festival is one big event that is well-planned and a 3-day weekend that captures the essence of how small-got-big while staying small is all about. Confused? This event has nearly everything. Daytimes are shoppes, music, dance, food and loads of networking. Guys in kilts. Plenty of milfs. Beer galore. Lots in store. Ha'penny tunes. A few balloons. Green a'plenty. Money that's spenty. Irish dance. No sign of France. Happy go lucky. Babes are plucky. Tents and towers. Fun for hours. Parking and buses. Petites and plus'es. More beer on tap. Fingers that snap. Dublin Irish Festival is reasonable in price for admission and parking. You'll be showered in all sorts of music with bagpipers roaming round the area, Irish rock bands, ha'penny whistle and music shows... there's loads of big tents to rest and relax and a lot of stages for performances. I can see where after a year or two of going this festival might be a headscratcher for some. But to the unindoctrinated? OH BABY! You need to get off your duff and head into Dublin, Ohio for daytime, nighttime, late night SHENANIGANS at the Dublin Irish Festival. Kiss the blarney stone, too, if you find it. read more

The only thing missing from this festival to be truly Irish is Guinness. They manage to get top acts from around the world every year. They change the line up on a regular basis, however they need to try to keep the really good ones. The vendors are top notch. If you like all things Irish this is the place to be in central Ohio. One can immerse oneself in the culture at almost every point on the grounds whether it be in the whiskey tastings or the music or the traditional Irish food. There is even a great kids area for your little ones to have fun too if you choose to bring them along. A tip for the festival is to buy your tickets early online and to plan on getting there early to find a good place to sit to listen to music if that is what you are into. read more

Another great year at the Irish fest! I admit I didn't really know any of the bands playing this year outside of previous Irish fests, but I enjoyed the acts I saw. This year saw a lot of "cross-overs" on the Celtic Rock stage, with members of Barleyjuice and Enter the Haggis hanging out on stage with Young Dubliners, and some step dancers joining Gaelic Storm. The latter were especially great with the audience, hosting a "Queen" singalong, engaging in some audience participation, and so on. I also really enjoyed the Changelings who, despite a small crowd, exuded energy and seemed to be having a great time playing fun fiddle and guitar tunes. It was nice and quiet over at the Music Hall where they played too, so a perfect break from the ever-growing crowds elsewhere. In terms of food and shops, it is mostly the same as previous years. However, I must recommend the Galway bakers! I decided to indulge a bit on a Guinness-Jameson-Baileys cake, which is a dense, moist tin of chocolate goodness topped with a creamy booze-laced icing (though it is not alcoholic and the flavor of the ingredients is very mild). Since it is made of basic ingredients without much in the way of preservatives, you do need to refrigerate it when you get home in the wee hours of the morning, but judging by my last bites this morning, doesn't suffer too much from doing so. The apricot scones they make are good too, though not as unusually good as the cake. I hope they're there again next year... I want to make a habit of their cakes.... Anyway, I suggest going early if you want to really shop. Or have a drink or five. When I first arrived at the fest around 11:00, the shops and beer trucks were mostly empty. The crowds pick up in the evenings, though, so the traffic in and around the shops becomes tighter, and the lines for beer can be very long. However, if you do wait in line and have a pint or three, even if it is closing time, it is no problem: there is a $10 taxi voucher/person available. I think that is a great idea. If you go with a group, you can pretty much ride for free I would think since each person in the party can get a voucher. Otherwise, parking is the same as in previous years. Again, your best bet is to come early if you don't want to mess with shuttles and such. I personally like parking at the administration building. It's a bit of a hike to get to the fair entrance itself, but if you're headed north, it's super easy to get out and avoid the crowds by the fest entrance. Anyway, overall, another great year at the fest! Can't wait til next year! read more

I really, really wanted to love the Irish Festival. Really, I did. Granted, I'm not Irish but I do love the music/people/beer. But I was completely underwhelmed. Here's why: There's a hellacious parking situation (don't bother checking the website for ideas as every lot I had written down was full by the time I got there). The $10 entrance fee per day seems kind of steep to me. Food prices are typical. $6 beer seemed kinda retarded, especially considering it was Coors? There was ONE vegetarian (Vegan even!) food option - which I immediately purchased and ate all of 3 bites of. This vendor proved the stereotype that vegan food must taste like shit. Some cool performers (spoken word, dance, folksy-type Irish, and Celtic rockers) that were pretty good for the most part, but there weren't any big known names this year at the festival. Flogging Molly DID perform yesterday in Columbus...just not at the festival, so I'm not sure what's up with that. This is completely random, but I had figured with the state fair going on that all the bumpkins/hillbillies would have been down there instead. I can honestly say I've never seen so many people with "summer teeth" in one place in my entire life. I'm not so sure I'll give it a go next year... read more

As far as I'm concerned, the best thing about a community festival is the food, and in that aspect, the Dublin Irish Festival did not disappoint. There must have been at least 50 food booths, offering not only Irish and Scottish food but pretty much anything else you can think of. As I don't particularly like beer, I was really happy to see one booth selling the Scottish soft drink Irn-Bru, one of my favorites. I've been hearing for a decade how amazing the Irish Fest is, but you know what? Since it costs $10 to get in, it has an obligation to be better than most festivals, since most festivals are free. And the Irish Fest didn't really seem to be $10 better than your average festival. I'm not really into seeing concerts by groups whose music I'm unfamiliar with, so if you don't want to see concerts and you're not drinking, there's not a whole lot else to do here. The few exhibits/displays/booths were pretty uninteresting, at least to me. And the crowds were insane. Too many people obliviously/drunkenly milling about to enjoy walking around. My wife and I did sit through half a concert by the group Tartan Terrors, and it was highly entertaining, with a great mix of humor and skillful playing and singing. The other musical acts we caught bits and pieces of weren't as interesting. I don't really see myself going to the DIF again next year or anytime soon. There are just too many free local festivals around to justify paying $10 in addition to the inflated food/drink prices. read more

My first time at the DIF and it was a great experience! I'm not of Irish decent, but just as I am on St. Patrick's Day, I was "Irish" while I was here! Something for everyone: shopping, booze (beer & whiskey!), ethnic & carnival food offerings, music, dancing, demonstrations etc. We took a breather from the mid-day sun under the Celtic Canines tent and listened as owners & breeders talked about their dog's connection to Irish history. Very interesting. Beer was typical festival pricing at $6, but you'd get a 16 oz. Guiness or 20 oz. Killian's Red for that price, so it was fair. The Old Bag of Nails had a concession stand there and for $8 you could enjoy Fish & Chips or $5 for Corndog & Chips. Irish music could be heard wherever you wandered in the park, ranging from bagpipes to current day rock (ie. U2 cover band) to clogging. If you love fairs & festivals like I do, this is definitely a must see especially if you're Irish. Even if you're not, it's fun to enjoy and learn more about this country's rich traditions. read more

The best festival of summer! Amazing music and entertainment; tons of craft and food vendors. Every year, a great time! read more

Dublin Irish Festival - Local Flavor Near Me - Dublin, Ohio

Though my heritage marks me as a bit of a mutt, I am a wee bit Irish. But maybe I just don't have enough emerald in my blood to understand the Dublin Irish festival. Dublin, OH is a great city, and I think it's wonderful that they're so proud of their ties to Dublin, Ireland. But I was both under- and overwhelmed by their annual celebration. Dublin goes all out to incorporate everything from Killian's to Celtic crosses to kilts into this weekend of red hair and freckles. Highlights of my Irish experience included seeing the Prodigals, a band that makes accordions cool, and chowing down on shepherd's pie. Lowlights include enduring an endless walk to get to the gates, sky high prices, and a multitude of bouncing, curly haired girls with ear-to-ear smiles. By the end of the day I had seen and spent so much green on food, beer, and admission that I felt a little green. read more

First things first: I'd like to thank my dad, or his dad, or his dad, and so on, for passing along the wonderful gift of Irish heritage. I realize this heritage is not required to attend the Irish Festival but it sure makes the whole idea a lot cooler. That being said, I made my first Irish Festival appearance last night and rather enjoyed myself. Of course, that was after we spent 20 minutes looking for a parking spot, walked about a mile from said spot, walked the perimeter of the festival looking for a specific entrance gate (at which free tickets awaited us!) and spent way too much money on drink tokens. On the plus side, the atmosphere was really great: Irish entertainers everywhere you look, endless food and beer stands and way too many men in kilts. Add in a few close friends and you've got yourself a good night. Just be ready to cough up some (scratch that, A LOT of) cash. read more

Always have a great time at the festival. For a low admission price you get lots of entertainment and cultural events. Add that to lots of good food choices and merchandise vendors and you can easily spend an entire day and not get bored. read more

One of my favorite events all year. The kids and adults in my family all look forward to the Irish Festival and we go every year. It is cheap to get in for families and even cheaper if you volunteer or go on Sunday mornings. I enjoy the craft stalls, food and drink all alike. The crafts are varied from homemade to exquisite to Irish kitsch which means there is a souvenir out there for everyone. Food options are also extremely diverse ranging from fair food to "traditional" Irish dishes (as much as you can expect from a festival). Just walk around long enough and you will find something good, guaranteed. Drinks, well, they finally have Guinness. If you came in the past and were disappointed like I was when you couldn't order a pint, come back my friend, it's fixed. You can also get Irish whiskey drinks, most of which are delicious. Also, there's tons of music and dancing everywhere and giant Irish wolfhounds. Just go already. read more

Love this festival. I highly reccomend it to anyone that loves to bring out their Irish herritage! Even if you're not Irish it is the best! They brew a Dublin Stout that is to die for. read more