From The Waxies to DJs to Irish dancers regaling attendees, Irish on Ionia 2016 took advantage of stellar weather to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day a couple days late but with real gusto. (Photos)
Irish for the Day: Thousands celebrated St. Patrick’s Day on Ionia Avenue in downtown Grand Rapids on Saturday. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
The spring-like weather cooperated, the bands and DJs romped, the green beer flowed, and a record crowd of some 20,000 green-clad revelers turned Irish on Ionia 2016 into one of the biggest street parties Grand Rapids has ever seen.
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Throngs of partiers waiting to get in to the Ionia Avenue bash flooded out into W. Fulton Street to the north on Saturday afternoon, nearly blocking an entire lane of traffic.
Record Crowds: As organizers expected, some 20,000 people showed up on Saturday. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
Inside, the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd stretched down the red-brick street in a diverse sea of color and craziness. Groups draped in green and shiny mardi gras beads wandered the corridor, touting emerald beer.
The Moxie Strings churned out a lively set at the Buschmills Main Stage to a dancing crowd, while at the Irish Jig Stage, The Saltbound unleashed a foot-stomping Irish-inspired folk-rock set to an overflowing tent of listeners.
The crowd just grew thicker as the afternoon wore on, with long lines of eager St. Patrick’s Day celebrants queueing up into the evening when acts like Stone Clover and The Waxies (and Ardan Academy of Irish Dance performers) fired things up, along with DJs Sean Boney and Richard Oxegenn. – Ricky Olmos
PHOTO GALLERY: Irish on Ionia 2016
Photos by Anthony Norkus
