The Dublin Irish Festival dances its way into the heat of August this weekend. The Festival runs from Friday, August 5 to Sunday, August 7. You can find a complete schedule of events online: Dublin Irish Festival

Tickets are $10 for adults at the gate. But if you purchase your tickets before midnight tonight (August 4) online, you can save a buck. To buy online tickets, go HERE.

I have lots of memories of the Dublin Irish Festival. It has grown tremendously since we first started going there in 1996 (or close to it). It used to be a relatively small event, but it is so large now, you have to be bussed in from area parking lots. We actually haven’t been in a few years, because the crowds have become so massive and I also tend to wilt in the August heat.

In 1997, I had back surgery and I still remember walking around the Irish Festival with my parents, Joe, and Bobbie, as well as Joe’s cousins, Larry and Phyllis. I had to wear comfy stretch shorts, because the wound on my back had not healed and I was leaking a mysterious fluid that turned out to be cerebral spinal fluid. Not long after that weekend, I was back in the hospital to have the fluid flow stopped. Surprisingly, that memory doesn’t dim my fondness for this Festival–probably because I love all things Irish!

One of my favorite things to do at the Dublin Irish Festival is watch the Irish dancers. The Richens/Timm Academy of Irish Dance always features wonderful children and young adult dancers.

Additionally, if you enjoy traditional (and sometimes not so traditional) Irish music, there are always a ton of wonderful artists performing on various stages throughout the Festival. For a full list of groups that will be playing, please go HERE.

Looking for a kilt, Celtic artwork, or some lovely crystal? Now is the time to find it without crossing the pond. The Festival has a huge number of vendors selling anything and everything Irish. To see a complete list of marketplace vendors and what they sell, go HERE.

May the sun shine warmly on your back this festive weekend (and it undoubtably will-so pick up some sun block at the pharmacy before you head to Dublin).