It’s Official North Texas Irish Festival Is Back This March

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north Texas Irish Festival returns to Fair Park
Photo courtesy NTIF

Get Your Irish On At NTIF 40 Shades of Green

North Texas Irish Festival returns to Fair Park March 4-6, with its great music, dance, and culture celebrating Irish and Celtic culture. The 40th annual festival’s theme is “40 Shades of Green.” Tickets are on sale now at NTIF.org.

Thousands of people will come from across Texas and the U.S. to attend one of the largest Irish festivals in the country. This family-friendly event features live music, dancing, storytelling, chef demonstrations, and more. With multiple stages, both indoors and outdoors, throughout Fair Park, attendees will also enjoy horse shows and fencing demonstrations. Other activities include sheepherding demonstrations, beer and whiskey tastings, genealogy research opportunities, and shopping. For the kids, there are animal rescue groups, child-friendly entertainment, and free arts and crafts.

North Texas Irish Festival
photo by Bud Barlow courtesy NTIF

“We are elated to be back in person, sharing our love of Irish music and tradition with everyone,” said Sheri Bush, president of the Southwest Celtic Music Association Inc. Their organization produces the North Texas Irish Festival and provides music and dance scholarships to local students. “The heart of our festival is our volunteers who take this opportunity every year to create a truly Irish experience for everyone,” she added.

North Texas Irish Festival

NTIF Produced annually by almost 1,000 volunteers, some of whom have volunteered for decades. The indoor-outdoor festival takes place rain or shine. Masks are strongly recommended but not required when visiting indoor spaces, and all volunteers will be masked. Hand sanitizer stations are available throughout the festival.

The Fun Run also returns to the North Texas Irish Festival, featuring a jaunt through the beautiful grounds of Fair Park on Saturday, March 5. The family-friendly run starts at 8 a.m., and invites runners or walkers of any age or ability—plus their dogs! All registered participants will receive a T-shirt, a “bottle opener” medal, and one ticket to the North Texas Irish Festival. Two beers after the run available for those of legal drinking age. The non-timed 5K fun run benefits Friends of Fair Park and the Southwest Celtic Music Association.

stew booth
photo courtesy NTIF

Music, dancing, whiskey tastings, fencing demonstrations, horse displays, and Celtic storytelling are on display at the Irish Festival. Animal rescue groups, Shepherd’s pie, Irish stew, dozens of activities for kids and child-friendly entertainment, and chef demonstrations are all found at this family-friendly festival.

Southwest Celtic Music Association

While today’s NTIF offers a full weekend of cultural delights, it remembers its roots as a music festival. The Southwest Celtic Music Association welcomes national performers for the 40th festival. Celtic Aire, Ed Miller, Piper Jones Band, Skerryvore, and Úlla are headliners. Featured regional performers at the festival include 5 Second Rule, BEHAN, Beyond The Pale, Don Gabbert, and Emerald Accent. GoldRing, Jiggernaut, KinFolk, LessMore & Too Much Time, Plunk Murray, and Reel Treble are also featured. Slugger’s Rule, The Irish Rogues, The Selkie Girls, Threadneedle St, Tullamore, Wolf Loescher & Friends, and Vintage Wildflowers are also featured.

Irish musicians
JD Luttmer photo courtesy NTIF

Irish step dancing offers groups of dancers whose unbelievably quick toes create a show unlike any other. Clap along as dancers of all ages – many of whom compete and win at the world championship level – delight audiences. Irish step dancers perform on a dedicated dance stage and with performances throughout the festival.

Irish Festival information

Gates open on Friday evening, March 4, at 6 p.m. Hours are 6 to 11 p.m. on Friday; 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 5; and 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 6.

Irish dancers
photo courtesy NTIF

Tickets for the North Texas Irish Festival are available online at ntif.org. Admission is FREE on Friday from 6 to 7 p.m.; $10 after. A one-day ticket is $25 on Saturday and $20 on Sunday at the gate, while a weekend pass is $40. Discount tickets are available at area Tom Thumb and Albertsons stores for $15 for a one-day ticket. Children 11 and under are FREE when accompanied by adult family member. Seniors over 65 or current military members (with valid military ID) receive $5 off all gate prices. Dogs are allowed in on a short leash with a $1 requested donation to animal rescue groups supported by the festival. Leprechauns (in full ceremonial dress and carrying their pot of gold) are FREE.

Parking is available in and around Fair Park, or attendees can take the DART (the Green Line) to the front entrance of Fair Park. Detailed directions and parking tips are available online at ntif.org or call 214-821-4173 for more information.

Sponsors

In addition to almost 1,000 volunteers who support the festival by volunteering their time, other local civic and corporate partners make this festival possible. The North Texas Irish Festival is presented by the Southwest Celtic Music Association. Additionally festival sponsors include Albertsons, Tom Thumb, Entercom, Statewide Remodeling, Dallas Tourism Improvement District, Glendalough Distillery, West Cork Distillers, Teelings, and Tullamore D.E.W.

Irish musician
Photo by JD Luttmer courtesy NTIF

The Southwest Celtic Music Association Inc. (SCMA) is the producing organization for the North Texas Irish Festival. Almost 1,000 volunteers will help in organization, promotion and execution of this year’s festival. The first such festival was on March 5, 1983, at the legendary Nick Farrelly’s Lounge on Oak Lawn and was billed as the First Texas Céilí. This event was so popular that it has continued every year since on the first weekend in March as the North Texas Irish Festival. Shortly after the first festival, the all-volunteer Southwest Celtic Music Association Inc. was formed to promote the study, performance and preservation of traditional Celtic music, dance and culture. In 1984, the event was moved to Fair Park and its name changed to the North Texas Irish Festival. The non-profit Southwest Celtic Music Association serves a five-state regional area. For information visit scmatx.org.