Not all the dancers belong to a dance school.
Memorial Day is seen as the official start of summer. But for those of us following a slightly different calendar, summer doesn’t truly begin until the annual Penn’s Landing Irish Festival.
This year’s festival kicks off Sunday at 12 noon, going all the way to 8 p.m., at the Great Plaza at Penn’s landing, Columbus Boulevard at Market Street.
If you’ve never been, here’s why you should go…
Music (and lots of it, all day long), with Blackthorn, Jamison and the Hooligans headlining on the main stage.
Dance, with so many of the Philadelphia area’s schools of Irish dance prancing all over the place that we can’t list them all.
Food and drink, including traditional Irish noshies like shepherd’s pie, along with water ice, ice cream, and appropriately seasonal liquid refreshment.
Vendors galore, so you can pick up all of the T-shirts, hats, mugs, home decor, jewelry and other goods necessary to confirm in the eyes of all the world that you are, yes indeed, Irish.
Kiddie stuff, including face-painting, of course.
Atmosphere. Yes, Penn’s Landing lacks shade and technically, kids aren’t supposed to wade in the fountains (but they do anyway), and it can get a little hot out there along the river. But, hey, you’re along the river, which you can bet will be dotted with pleasure boats, some of which stop dead in the water to take in the music emanating from the main stage.
OK, so we’ve told you. But if you still need convincing, let us show you. Check out our photos from past years.
