Unfolding at Muskegon’s Heritage Landing, this weekend’s festival promotes Irish culture and heritage with 30-plus acts performing along with dancers, food and more. All you need to know at Local Spins.
Irish Fest Favorite: Eileen Ivers and her band play the Cork Stage Friday and Saturday nights. (Courtesy Photo)
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The lineup — as always — is impressive.
The 2023 edition of the Michigan Irish Music Festival that rolls out at Muskegon’s Heritage Landing this coming weekend brims with Celtic magic, from pond-crossing, Ireland-bred phenoms such as Slide and Socks in the Frying Pan to electrifying festival returnees Eileen Ivers, Seamus Kennedy, The Tossers and The Moxie Strings.
Seamus Kennedy (Photo/Richard Dorbin/Paragon Light Photography)
With a longstanding mission of presenting “a world-class music festival that promotes Irish culture and heritage,” the festival will feature performances on six stages, along with dance presentations, a Celtic Kitchen, Irish market and children’s activities.
West Michigan’s Conklin Ceili Band views the celebration as “a homecoming of sorts,” said guitarist and singer Mick Lane, who also has described it as “a grand four days of music and fellowship.”
Other Michigan acts performing include CrossBow, The Moxie Strings (who are playing their final Michigan shows this fall), Toby Bresnahan, Ruth & Max Bloomquist, Mona Shores Fiddlers and Black Murray, among others.
MICHIGAN IRISH MUSIC FESTIVAL 2023
The Moxie Strings (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
WHERE: Heritage Landing, Muskegon
WEBSITE: https://michiganirish.org/
THE LINEUP: Barley Saints, Blackthorn, Brother Crowe, Colm & Laura Keegan, CrossBow, Eileen ivers, Kennedy’s Kitchen, Ian Gould, Moxie Strings, One for the Foxes, Paddy Keenan, Ruth & Max Bloomquist, Slide, Seamus Kennedy, Socks in the Frying Pan, Tallymoore, Conklin Ceili Band, Toby Bresnahan, Tossers, Uneven Ground and more. Full lineup here.
QUOTE: “MIMF is a particularly special festival because they place such importance on stellar musicianship and diversity of acts. We have discovered some of our favorite bands from all over the world at this festival. You can’t beat the lakeshore of Lake Michigan; our festival is known for being one of the most beautiful settings. Moxie will be playing a mix of our favorite tunes over our 17 years, and will be joined on many of them by our long-time drummer, Fritz McGirr. He’s making a re-appearance as we approach our final West Michigan shows. You can expect a few more Irish-influenced tunes to fit the festival vibe, alongside our originals and some fun covers.” – Diana Ladio of The Moxie Strings
TICKETS: Four-day pass, $65; children 12 and younger, free; Thursday pass, $10; Friday pass, $20; Saturday pass, $35; Sunday pass, $15. Get tickets online here.
WEATHER FORECAST (as of Sept. 11):
Thursday – High of 70 degrees, sunny and pleasant
Friday – High of 74 degrees, sunny
Saturday – High of 75 degree, mostly sunny
Sunday – High of 70 degrees, mostly sunny
MICHIGAN IRISH MUSIC FESTIVAL 2023: THE SCHEDULE
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