WORTH THE DRIVE: Largest 3-day Irish festival in the world in Dublin, Ohio

The grandest weekend-long Irish festival on the planet doesn’t go down across the Atlantic Ocean but rather here in Ohio.

Just over an hour from Dayton, the Columbus suburb aptly named Dublin is home to the world’s largest 3-day celebration honoring the music, entertainment, culture and community of Ireland. Dublin will pack the weekend of Aug. 4-6 with all things Celtic, including themed concerts, whiskey tastings, a parade and much more.

Ahead of the festival on Thursday, Aug. 3, visitors can take part in the annual Dublin Irish Festival 5K and Kids Dash. The race course will run through historic Dublin to show off the city’s downtown. For the first time, a post-race concert and party will greet racers, and those over 21 will receive a free beer from BrewDog.

Credit: Visit Dublin

The 36th annual Dublin Irish Festival will host a lineup of live musicians for a weekend of concerts. National and international artists are coming to the Columbus area for the weekend including Gaelic Storm, Dervish, Red Hot Chilli Pipers, String Sisters, Old Blind Dogs, Socks in the Frying Pan, Goitse, Young Dubliners, and Scythian among many others.

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The festival will also welcome Dublin local and regional performers such as Beir Bua, Boys of the Hock, Brigid’s Cross, Dogwood Road, Dublin Silver Band, Dulahan, Fialla, General Guinness, Homeland, Irish Fiddle Fusion, and Cotter & Clepper.

Several pipe bands and dance groups will also provide entertainment for the weekend.

Credit: Visit Dublin

Across the Dublin Irish Festival, visitors can meet Irish and Irish-American authors who write about Celtic culture, try several whiskeys at the tasting tent, play across over 20 inflatables, check out several Irish dog breeds at the Celtic Canine area, and stop in at the genealogy tent to learn more about their own Irish ancestry. The weekend closes out Sunday, which features seven different church services.

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HOW TO GO

What: The 36th annual Dublin Irish Festival

When: Friday, Aug. 4 through Sunday, Aug. 6; Festival hours are 4 p.m. to midnight on Friday, 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Where: Coffman Park, 5200 Emerald Parkway, Dublin

Cost: One-day tickets purchased online are $25 per person. One-day tickets purchased at the festival are $30 for adults; $20 for seniors, students and military members; and children 10 and under are free and do not require a ticket. Weekend passes are also on sale for $60 per person, or family pass packages, which includes two one-day admission tickets and two Pot O’Gold Playland tickets, for $70. From 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Sunday, visitors can get into the festival for free with a non-perishable food item or money donation to the Dublin Food Pantry collected at the gate.

More Information: For additional details and to buy tickets, visit https://dublinirishfestival.org/.

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About the Author

Zoe Kalen Hill

Zoë is an All Media Journalist with Dayton.com. She earned her BA in communication from the University of Dayton and has four years in the journalism industry, including bylines in national and local news. She previously worked as a reporting intern for Dayton Daily News.