Thank you everyone for a truly awesome St. Patrick's Day and festival!  Pictures and updates to be posted soon.


Thursday March 17th - Friday March 18th 2011

10:00 AM - 1:00 AM both days

Outdoors: 200 Block of Park Avenue, just East of Cook Street

Indoors: McGonigal's Pub

Cost: FREE to attend!

Thank you to our prime sponsors, supporters

and merchants:

Harris Bank Barrington

Motor Werks

Town & Country Beverages

Akoo International

McNally's Irish Pub

Park Avenue Wine Bar

OMI Industries

Village of Barrington

Irish American Heritage Center

Clarke's Bakery

Paddy's on the Square

Norton's USA

Identity Custom Sportswear

Cooper's Pizza


The Village of Barrington continues to cultivate and support its wonderful community, and the growth of the village has never been more apparent than now.  With new businesses and entertainment options flourishing, Barrington truly has become a great place to live, work and play.  Building on such rich traditions as the Independence Day Celebration, Brew Fest, Cruise Nights, the Art Festival, Homecoming Day and Scarecrow Fest, the Village is thrilled to announce the addition of a celebration that’s new to Barrington in 2011 but bound to become another fantastic annual event.


The inaugural Barrington Celtic Fest will take place on Thursday March 17th & Friday March 18th, on the 200 block Park Avenue just East of South Cook Street and including McGonigal’s Pub. The two-day festival will run all day on St. Patrick's Day and Friday the 18th, beginning at 10 AM and ending approximately 1 AM. A large heated tent will be erected over a good portion of Park Avenue so patrons can enjoy the celebration outdoors without worries about the fickle March weather! The agenda for the days includes live music, a mix of local retail restaurants and merchants, various entertainment including Irish dancers on Thursday, and of course plentiful availability of food and beverages both in the outdoor festival area and the pub.


Admission to the tent and pub is FREE for both days, but there will be opportunities to help support the fest efforts by purchasing souvenir cups and t-shirts (while supplies last of course).  Limited seating will be available upstairs for dining and it's on a first come, first served basis.  Sorry, but we won't be taking any special seating or group reservations.  The pub will be offering a limited menu on Thursday & Friday, providing just Corned Beef & Cabbage ($11), Fish & Chips ($13), Reubens ($9) and Irish Stew ($11). More food options through Clarke's and Cooper's will be available (and the pub will also serve brats) in the festival tent.  A full bar in both levels of the pub, and in the tent we'll be serving Guinness, Harp, Smithwicks (20oz @ $6 for these three), Killian's Irish Red ($4) and of course some Miller Lite green beer ($4 drafts and special Chi-Irish aluminum cans). There will also be some select wine options, courtesy of our friends at Park Avenue Wine Bar.  20oz Souvenir cups can also be used for special refills in the festival tent...a great deal!


Note - in the festival tent, all beverages and food will be CASH ONLY.  Credit cards can be used for services within the pub.


The Barrington Celtic Fest is focusing on food, drink and fun, with a few local and Irish merchants on hand.  Families are certainly welcome, but please understand that it's still St. Patrick's Day at an Irish Pub, which inevitably is more of an adult "holiday".  Please use your best judgment with younger family members during the day, and it will be 21+ after 8 PM both inside and outside.


Entertainment Lineups

(some times subject to minor changes)


Thursday, March 17th

Main Level

DOORS OPEN AT 10 AM

Noon – 3 PM: Seamus O’Kane (LIVE)

4 PM – 8 PM: Fast Eddie McAteer (LIVE)

8 PM - 10 PM:  Miller Lite Girls (LIVE)

9 PM – Close:  The Reids ~ direct from Ireland! (LIVE)

Specials guests - bagpipers & other diversions - during the day


Upper Level

DOORS OPEN AT 10 AM

10 AM – 9 PM:  Irish Music and NCAA Basketball Games

9 PM – Close:  Fast Eddie McAteer (LIVE)


Festival Tent

11 AM – 3 PM: Irish Music & vendors/merchants

3 PM – 4:30 PM:  McNulty Irish Dancers

4:30 PM – 9 PM:  Irish Music & surprise guest?

8 PM - 10 PM:  Miller Lite Girls (LIVE)

9 PM  - Close:  Chicago Reel & Irish Dancers (LIVE)

*Specials guests, bagpipers & other diversions throughout the day*

*Vendors/Merchants at their booths all day*


Friday March 18th

Main Level

DOORS OPEN AT 10 AM

10 AM – 9 PM:  Irish Music and NCAA Basketball games

9 PM:  Finbarr Fagan & Paddy Go EZ Band (LIVE)


Upper Level

DOORS OPEN AT 10 AM

11 AM – Close:  NCAA Basketball games


Festival Tent

11 AM - Irish Music and vendors/merchants

4 PM – 7 PM:  Chunky Monkey (60's Rock & Irish - LIVE)

8 PM – Midnight: The Reids ~ direct from Ireland! (LIVE)

*Vendors/Merchants at their booths all day*


More information is available on the websites for the Village of Barrington and the official Facebook Page.  We sincerely thank our sponsors and the surrounding communities that will help make the Barrington Celtic Fest a success in 2011 and bigger & better next year!


Facebook Link:

http://www.facebook.com/celticfest


Recent News Links:

Celtic Fest in Bryan McGonigal’s Own Words (365Barrington.com)

St. Pat's Celebrated at Barrington Celtic Fest (Patch)

Fest a Public-Private Collaboration (TribLocal)

Irish Fest to Close Streets (TribLocal)

Celtic Fest Coming to Barrington (Pioneer Press)

Barrington Celtic Fest (Village of Barrington)

March Newsletter, Village of Barrington

McGonigal's putting on Celtic Fest (Pioneer Press)






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