The papal visit is upon us at last! If you’re going downtown, go with our good wishes. It’s been so easy to get caught up in all of the pope-ageddon hoopla. You can’t so much as stop for bag of chips at a 7-11 without seeing Pope Francis bobble-head dolls for sale on the counter. But let’s set all of that nonsense aside for now. This truly is a meaningful moment for Philadelphia.
There’s really no smooth way to segue from that particularly historic moment to the other big weekend event.
We’re talking about the Irish Fall Festival down in North Wildwood. Irish people from Philadelphia have been migrating down to the shore every year to close out their summer with one big last celebration. If you’ve never been, the whole Wildwood resort area is awash, so to speak, in Irish things to do.
There are vendors all up and down Olde New Jersey Avenue, and music more or less everywhere. Just follow the crowds.
Highlights of the weekend:
Saturday
- 8:30 a.m. Tink Haldeman Memorial 5K Run and 1-Mile Walk, 1st & Olde New Jersey Avenue
- 10 a.m. The Brian Riley Pipe Exhibition, Bill Henfey Park, 8th & Central Avenues
- 12 noon. Opening Ceremonies. Chestnut & New Jersey Avenues
- 7 p.m. Irish Fall Festival Concert, Wildwood Catholic High School, 1500 Central Avenue, in North Wildwood. Joining Cathy onstage: our own award-winning fiddler, Haley Richardson
Sunday
- 10:30 a.m. Mass at St. Ann’s Church, Glenwood & Atlantic
- 12:30 p.m. The Big Parade! Starting at 20th & Surf an marching all the way up to Spruce & Olde New Jersey.
If you’re still starved for Celtic merry-making, head north to the famous Celtic Classic in Bethlehem, a full weekend of pipe bands, Irish and Scottish music, dancing, caber tossing, and lots of Highland food. (Some of it is made from sheep guts. You’ve been warned.) Seriously, this one is really, really big and really, really fun.
Later in the week, harper William Jackson will play in an intimate little house concert on Tuesday night. Details here.
That’s it for now.
