St. Patrick’s Day Festival

March 12, 2011

The Festival is held annually in conjunction with our St. Patrick’s Day Parade and is fun for the entire family!

The Festival will open at 11 a.m. with two beer gardens serving ice cold Guinness, Harp, Miller Lite, and Sharps beer. Entertainment on the Festival’s two stages will run from 11:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The Festival and its entertainment are free to the public, and there is no charge to enter the beer garden, but visitors must show identification to be served.

At the corner of Sixth and Quince, visitors will find a Celtic Village where it is the year 1582, and a troupe of renaissance re-enactors portray the daily drama of the soldiers of House McFionn, explaining their history as they do. Kids and adults alike will be amazed by authentic fighting demonstrations as well as Irish dance, song, crafts, and story-telling.

The Festival will offer an entire Kids Zone full of games, rides, llamas, face-painting, and other fun, while adults will enjoy strolling amidst the booths that offer Irish crafts and a variety of snacks and meals. 

Festival entertainment starts off with a great presentation with the bagpipes and drums of the San Diego Firefighters Emerald Society; the live entertainment continues on 2 stages — we will have a line-up of outstanding entertainers — over the years we have had such greats as Brian Baynes, a frequent guest artist of the San Diego Symphony who has performed with many world-renowned names in Celtic music; recording artist Tony Cummins, whose pub acts are legendary; Brehon Law, an “in your face” Irish folk rock trio from Carlsbad; the Shamrockers, the city’s favorite Irish band with a “classic rock problem,” original Celtic-style music from San Diego-based Sheela-na-Gig; and Celtic vocal talents Heloise Love & Richard Gordon; Harold and Gabe, and the Rythum Ranchers.

Kid’s Zone (games and rides)
Celtic Village (9:00 am – 6:00 pm)
Beer Gardens (10:00 am – 5:30 pm)

Dedicated to Absent Friends

Slainte and Safe Home

Presented by the good folks at Guinness

Sheela-na-Gig

Harold’s Renegade Band

Heloise Love and Richard Gordon

Rhythm Ranchers

San Diego Firefighters Emerald Society Pipes & Drums