Pa. Celtic or Irish Festivals
Celtic festivals and Celtic events are found all over the state of Pennsylvania. Some Celtic festivals are small, being one day festivals with 2,000 visitors, and some are large, being three day events with 250,000 visitors. Some are free and some cost to get in.
The quality of Celtic music at these festivals also varies from mostly local Irish bands to world class bands. Some are known for their Irish food, Scottish food and Celtic gift vendors and some have very few Celtic vendors. Some festivals are more Irish festivals and some are more Scottish festivals. Still others are closer to Renaissance Fairs.
Pennsylvania is increasingly becoming one of the top Celtic event areas in the country, with more Celtic events added each year. You really do have to attend at least one Celtic festival (a large one preferably), in your lifetime.
If a festival is not listed here, it may not exist. We regularly check schedules for new or disappearing festivals!
PLEASE email us if your festival does not appear here. See Contact Page.
February 18,19,29 - 2011
Greater Phila Mid-Winter Scottish Irish Music Festival, King of Prussia, Pa.
March 1-2
Winter Classic, Gathering of the Celts, Bethlehem
March 5,6
Lewisburg Celtic Days
April 3 (11AM – 4PM)
Tartan Day Celebration, Pittsburgh, Pa.
May 8
Phoenixville Celtic Street Fair, Phoenixville
May 29-30
Shawnee Celtic Festival, Shawnee-on-Delaware
June 5
Bonnie Brae Scottish Festival, Liberty Corner, NJ.
June 4,5
AOH Irish Festival, Mt. Clair
June 13
A Celtic Festival in Doe Run
ST. MALACHI’S OF DOE RUN 76 ST. MALACHI ROAD COCHRANVILLE, PA 19330
June 19
Penn-Mar Irish Festival, Glen Rock
June 20, 2009
Irish Hunger Festival, Yardley
June 25-27
Celtic Fling, Mount Hope
July 17
Adams County Irish Festival, Gettysburg
July 17
Celtic Heritage Festival/Graeme Park, Horsham
July 22-24
Edinboro Highland Games, Edinboro
July 23-25
The Clovers Irish Weekend, Heckscherville
August 21
Spyglass Ridge Winery Celtic Festival, Sunbury
August 28
Berks Co. Celtic Oyster Fest, Mohnton
August 28, 29
Mid-Summer Scottish & Irish Music & Wine Festival, Lancaster
September 5
McLain Celtic Festival, Carlisle
September 11
Ligonier Highland Games, Ligonier
September 11-12
Green Lane Park Scottish Irish Festival and Highland Games, Green Lane
September 10-12
Pittsburgh Irish Festival, Pittsburgh
September 12-14
Erie Irish Festival, Erie
September 24-26
The Celtic Classic, Bethlehem
October 15-17
Harper’s Escape, Princeton, NJ.
Irish Festivals in Pennsylvania are much anticipated events to those of Irish decent. As well, many non-Irish in Pennsylvania enjoy the excitement of Irish festivals Typically there are not as many pure Irish only festivals as there are Celtic festivals, which include Scotland and the other Celtic nations. But, for the majority of Celtic festivals, the predominant theme is Irish. In fact many people assume Celtic means Irish. But this is not the case.
The majority of Pennsylvania Irish festivals are held from May through September. Many are on the same weekends, so if you try to attend them all it may difficult. The settings for Irish festivals in Pennsylvania vary as well. We have been to some in parking lots, to others in open farmer’s fields, to several in wooded mountainous areas. They are all enjoyable day long events with plenty of people watching and interesting food and old Irish, modern Irish or Canadian Irish music.
May 14th, 2009 at 7:51 am
I live in Michhgan but have Celtic ancestery in Pennsylvania from before 1750. I enjoy visiting Pennsylvania. I am interested in going to at least one large Celtic festival in Pennsylvania this year. What might you suggest as a good one or two. Since I am a teacher it has to be after June 18 and before September. We have an Irish festival and a Scottish festival in the Kalamazoo, Michigan area where I live that I usually attend, but would like to combine a Pennsylvaia Festival with a vacation there.
Thanks.
May 14th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Hi Jack….In our opinion the best festival in Pa. is the one June 26-28, listed above as the CELTIC FLING-Mount hope. It is in a very neat location, the music is really good and varied and the size of the festival makes for a full day! If we were to pick one festival in Pa. to go to that would be the one, in the time period you mention.
June 30th, 2009 at 10:23 am
The Celtic Fling at Mount Hope is history again for this year. It seemed to be a huge success with more vendors and people than I recall in years past. This thing is getting huge. I am surprised it is as expensive to get in as it is. It seems to be the most expensive Celtic festival I have been too. Other festivals are free or half the price and have just as good of groups. Where is all the money going? You do get a lot of bands for the money, but I wouldn’t pay the full gate price to get in. They could use a little more organization at the gate as there were several lines, with no clue as to what each line was. One was supposedly a beer line, to get your bracelet. I skipped that one and walked up to the front, to an empty table and they gave me a bracelet there right away. So that beer line was somewhat bogus and there were about 200+ people in that line.
July 2nd, 2009 at 10:12 am
The Celtic Fling is truly a really cool festival! The setting for it is amazing..an old village atmosphere. The music is great, with bands like Brother, Scythian, Ceann, Enter the Haggis, Fieldstone, Ice Wagon Flu and Rathkeltir! The beer served there is really good too and microbrewed! Any men wanting to see some cleavage might enjoy it also!! You can wear any type of clothing there and you will see all types! Its a very uplifting festival as most Celtic ones are. Seems to get bigger every year, with more vendors than ever this year. The Highland games are good as well.