Celebrate the halfway-to-St. Patrick’s Day mark at this weekend’s Naperville Irish Fest in downtown Central Park.
Set for Friday and Saturday, the event is always a lot of fun, said co-chairwoman Christina O’Hara, who also serves as secretary to the West Suburban Irish, which sponsors the event.
“We aim to promote Irish culture all through and through, so we have obviously a lot of music, Irish dancers, a hurling and camogie club who will be there, we have Irish wolfhounds that will be there, Irish food and, of course, Irish beer.”
The West Suburban Irish Society has been running Naperville’s St. Patrick’s Day parade for more than 30 years, but opts to hold the Irish Festival in the fall because it’s less volunteer intensive and it’s a good chance to promote Irish heritage and culture, O’Hara said.
To that end, festgoers will find a tent featuring the Gaelic Language Group offering tutorials; an Irish history display; the Mother Jones Project display; Padraig Manning, vice consul of the Consulate General of Ireland in Chicago; Irish Community Services; and Irish authors Malcolm McDowell Woods and Robert Conlon.
The goal is to be family-friendly, which means lots of kids’ activities, O’Hara said. St. Patrick and a host of leprechauns (West Suburban Irish members) will pose for pictures, lead a kid’s parade and hold a story time. There will be face painting both days and a craft courtesy of Home Depot on Saturday.
A highlight of the Irish Fest is the abundance of live music, O’Hara said.
“We have a variety of new bands this year, particularly our two closing bands — Brigid’s Cross and Classical Blast,” she said. “This will be their first appearance at the fest. Both of these bands will play some traditional Irish music, but they will also play more contemporary Irish music — Cranberries, Van Morrison, U2.”
Other bands include On the Lash from Kalamazoo, Michigan; Celtic Roots; The Larkin and Moran Brothers; Small Batch; and Whiskey Mick. The Firefighters Highland Guard of Naperville will also perform.
Irish dance is another fan favorite. Performers from McNulty Irish Dancers, Bailey Murray Academy and Bentley Academy of Irish Dance will entertain the crowds.
Traditional Irish food will be provided by Frank O’Dowd’s Mobile Kitchen and Catering of Galena, offering such fare as fish and chips, Reuben and chips, fish tacos and chips, Scotch eggs and Reuben egg rolls. Home Run Inn Pizza and The Creamery will handle American fare.
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There will be Guiness beer tasting and Bushmills Irish whiskey tasting events, but both are already sold out, O’Hara said.
“We will also have soda bread from Colleen’s Irish Soda Bread, who has been with us at least three years now,” she said. “She makes the best Irish soda bread.”
You’ll find it for sale in the Irish Village, a vendor’s market of Irish goods and services, she said.
“They will be selling goods from or about Ireland so if you want a great Irish T-shirt or an Irish sweater … we will have a whole host of Irish vendors as well.”
That’s also where you will find Irish-themed gifts, crafts, apparel, art and more and where folks interested in hurling and camogie (a women’s field sport similar to hurling) can find information on the Gaelic Athletic Association and the Naperville Hurling Club.
The Ancient Order of Hibernians, America’s oldest Irish Catholic Fraternal Organization, and the Great Lakes Irish Wolfhound Association will be found in the culture tent.
O’Hara said she’s received a lot of positive comments about all that they offer as part of the event.
“The biggest one is how family-friendly it is. It’s just a good time and there’s lots of things for the kids to do,” she said. “There’s great Irish music. Watching the kids dance is always fun to see. It’s a good, friendly event to come to. It’s not overly crowded. The location, Central Park, right behind Quigley’s Irish Pub, has been a fantastic location.”
And while they don’t need as many volunteers as they do for the parade, the festival couldn’t happen without people offering to help, she said.
“We have over 200 volunteers who help out at the fest Friday and Saturday. One of the things we do is, every volunteer who works at the event, we will donate $25 to one of six select charities as a way of giving back to the community,” she said.
It’s a great event for folks of all ages, she said.
“Even if you’re not Irish, you can be Irish for a day,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun; we’ve had fabulous weather the past few years. You get to enjoy a Guiness or other Irish beverage and let your kids have fun. Or come later in the evening and you’ll hear some great music.”
Annie Alleman is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
Naperville Irish Fest
When: 3-10 p.m. Sept. 19 and noon-10 p.m. Sept. 20
Where: Central Park, 104 E. Benton Ave., Naperville
Tickets: $15 each or two for $25; children 12 and under free
Information: wsirish.org/irishfest