The Dublin, Ohio Irish Festival has been mentioned here in a few threads,
but I thought it deserved its own. I’m going to be there this Saturday (a
good excuse to visit a friend who just moved to Columbus). It looks like
it really will be somewhat temperate this year (a balmy 84F). Yay!
I know I need to find missy and harpmaker in the Music Exploration tent…
is anyone else going to be in attendance? What’s the skinny on sessions
at the Festival? Anything I can sit in on?
Also, my wife requests to know about the venue. She really, really hates
Port-A-Potties…
If memory serves there is/are at least one permanent structure with nicer toilets. When my wife gets home I’ll ask her. She has a phenomenal memory for bathrooms.
I’ll be there on Saturday as well… I’ve got a plan for the music I want to see, but some are going at the same time! Drat! I was also going to sit in on the whistle/flute tutorial at 5PM. “Gots” to go to the Burke Whistle booth as well! So much to see and not enough time! Agghhh!
Oy, I hear you cluckin’ big chicken! My wife’s first comment about any
venue seems to be the restroom.
Yeah, there aren’t enough hours in the day.
I wish I had a C&F T-shirt so I can make myself known… hm. I’ll figure out
something noticeable to wear and post it here in case anyone sees me
and wants to say “Hey!” (or possibly “Hay!”, I’m not picky).
How do those workshops work? Do you have to sign up or just show up
on time with your instrument.
I will be there as well. I will be at the Burke booth for sure. I hope to leave with a D whistle. I will also be picking up a Dave Lynch dulcimer. I understand JudyK will also be there. I look like my Avatar but I will have on khaki shorts, a green shirt and a khaki cap.
My wife believes with 75% certainty that there is at least one permanent bathroom facility. I think I remember there being one near the vendors area. I also think there is one music venue that is in a permanent bldg and that may have a bathroom. That one for me is only 30% certainty.
Disclaimer: All percentages are rounded to the nearest 5% and have not been confirmed using accepted statistical analysis procedures.
I plan to be there bright & early Saturday. Want to check out harpmaker’s (Dave Lynch) booth and Mike Burke’s whistles. See ya there, Ron!
Fearfaoin, it’s a first time attending for me, so can’t help on the session stuff. Maybe I’ll run into you & your wife there. Hope to meet Missy & Tom face to face, too.
If I remember correctly there was a session tent. All of who were playing beyond my ability. There were several workshops. I saw one for bodhran and one for fiddle. The bodhran was a hands on workshop. Think 40 people all playing the same rhythm. The fiddle was more of a lecture.
If it’s like previous years, there will be an open tent for sessions, nothing huge. The “level” of musicianship varies a lot; sometimes there are lots of experienced musicians; on the bottom end, it’s occasionally just me. I don’t think I’ve ever seen more than 20 people (playing) in the session tent at once, which is actually not a lot in a festival whose attendance regularly exceeds 80,000.
The Festival is held on the grounds of the Dublin Recreation Center, and there are lots of bathrooms inside that, if you’re willing to walk a little.
Bob Midden and Mary Dennis will be at the fest with their band Toraigh will be in the acoustic “Emerald Isle” tent noon-1:30pm on Saturday.
Bob and Mary are real heroes and both are excellent whistle players. In addition to their band, they lead a lot of sessions and take the trouble to hold a slow session for beginning players. Bob has recorded and posted a large (and growing!) collection of session tunes that he plays at different tempos which is a great learning resource that you can access here >>> It’s a wonderful tool for beginning players for which they don’t get enough credit!
For anyone at the festival this Saturday, please stop by and give them MAD PROPS.
Hi Everyone,
As mentioned I will be there with all my whistles and my lovely wife, so hope many people come by and try as many as you like.
Bob Midden comes by every year. He is a great guy and an extremely good whistle player, so I try to keep him playing as long as possible, because people stop and listen to him. Seems like Craig Stuntz was there a couple of years ago and had a fine band as well, and he is a very good player. My very good friend, Brian McCoy will be there doing a whistle demo too as usual. Brian is unbelievable on whistles and flute. I know for a fact that Phil Smillie from The Tannahill Weavers will be by my stand sometime during the weekend as well as many other musicians. Dublin Fest is still a small town atmosphere and lots of fun. We see many friends from Central Ohio every year, so it is like Homecoming to us. Sessions start when people come to play and sit down to do so. So if you want a big session, get all your friends together. They provide a tent and all that is needed are people wanting fellowship and to share tunes and conversation. The people of Central Ohio are very nice and hospitable, and the entertainment is second to no Irish Festival anywhere.
Hope to see you, one and all this weekend. Now, back to packing whistles! .
I have very fond memories of the all-day session tent in Dublin, Ohio. I met a lot of great folks there over the years. I really had an eye opening experience there the first year that I attended and found out that the world of ITM was very different outside the confines of my own home town city limits. I haven’t been to Dublin for a few years now, but that festival literally changed my life (for the better, I think).
It was a pleasure to drop by your booth at the Dublin Festival. With the incredible crush of the crowds (and the sweltering heat), I hope it was productive for you. The music makers tent was the best of the fest.
We’re still debating whether to replace the kid’s low D or to add a low F. Anita REALLY loved the aluminum low F.
I took a few snapshots of Bob and Mary playing their set on Saturday:
