Best Irish Concerts & Festivals In Pittsburgh
As St. Patrick's Day nears, Pittsburgh's Irish community is gearing up to celebrate, and not just with the big annual parade and parties on the South Side. From annual festivals to Celtic concerts -- and food and green beer, of course--Pittsburgh has plenty of great ways to celebrate its Irish heritage. Here are some of the best upcoming Irish festivals and concerts.
Irish Fair In The Square
Market Square
23 Market Square
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(724) 766-2525
marketsquarepgh.com
Date: March 12, 2016 at 10 a.m.
Irish Fair in the Square keeps the party going into the afternoon, with Celtic-inspired food and drink specials--including green beer, of course -- from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. And it's the only St. Patrick's Day street party in the city, sponsored by the Market Square Merchants Association. This year's entertainment includes a performance from Weekend at Blarney's and Irish dance performances from Shovlin Academy of Irish Dance and the Pittsburgh Ceili Club, plus buskers and face-painting.
The Wild Geese
Hard Rock Café
230 W. Station Square Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
(412) 481-7625
www.thewildgeeseband.com
Date: March 12, 2016 at 1:45 p.m.
The Wild Geese is a local six-piece band playing Irish music of all types, from traditional songs to more upbeat Irish rock, and St. Patrick's Day celebrations wouldn't be complete without them. You can actually catch them multiple times St. Patrick's Day weekend; Friday night, they'll be playing up at Seven Springs Resort at 8 p.m., followed by two Saturday shows in Pittsburgh. The first is at the Hard Rock Café in the afternoon, then they'll head over to Riley's Pour House in Carnegie from 8 p.m. until midnight. Later in the year, they'll once again play Pittsburgh's Irish Festival.
Related: Best Up-And-Coming Pittsburgh Bands To Check Out In 2016
Kegs And Eggs
Buckhead Saloon
225 W. Station Square Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
(412) 232-3101
www.buckheadpittsburgh.com
Date: March 12, 2016 at 8 a.m.
As the event page says, "You can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning!" St. Patrick's Day parties go all day in Pittsburgh, and you can get started with the annual Kegs and Eggs event at Buckhead Saloon in Station Square. Presale tickets are $25 up until March 13, at which point the price will go up to $35. But that'll get you an open bar with domestic drafts, wells, and Guinness, of course, plus a breakfast buffet. A St. Patrick's Day shirt will allow you to get to the front of the line all day, and the saloon will also have drink specials, games, and giveaways all day. Entertainment will be provided by the band The Lava Game, as well as House DJ.
Mullaney's St. Paddy's Day Celebration
Mullaney's Harp and Fiddle
239 Penn Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(412) 642-6622
www.harpandfiddle.com
Date: March 10, 12, and 17, 2016
In terms of sheer numbers of events, Harp and Fiddle has the most to offer. Their festivities start on Thursday, March 10 at 8 p.m. with a live performance of the song "Finnegan's Wake," followed by a full 12-hour day of live music on Parade Day, Saturday, March 12, featuring Mark Guiser, Donny Irish, Guaranteed Irish, Whiskey Limerick, Red Hand Paddy, and more. Most musicians will return to Harp and Fiddle on St. Patrick's Day itself, Thursday, March 17, for another day packed with live music.
Related: Best Beer Gardens In Pittsburgh
Janelle Sheetz is a 20-something closed-captioner by day, writer by night, just outside of Pittsburgh. She also regularly contributes to AXS.com and Examiner.com, and her writing has also been featured on The Billfold and Neutrons Protons.