By: Jeff Meade

Blackthorn closes out the festival.

Maybe it’s that our people come from a place where a “warm” summer day tops out at 70 degrees. (And don’t even talk to me about the surf temperature.) Still, there’s just something about 80- and 90-degree Philadelphia weather that brings out the best in an Irishman. (And an Irishwoman, too, of course.)

You can find out for yourself on Sunday, June 22, from noon ‘til 9 p.m. as the annual Philadelphia Penn's Landing Irish Festival kicks off on the waterfront at Chestnut Street and Columbus Boulevard.

Unlike previous festivals, this one just lasts a day instead of the whole weekend. So if ya snooze, ya loose. And to hear Michael Bradley tell it, you’d be missing a whole lot.

Bradley, who directs the Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade, also runs this event. He sees it as a way to continue to provide needed exposure for the many groups, organizations and traditions of Irish Philadelphia. Too, he’s so well-connected because of his Parade activities, he’s just the man for the job.

“I think it’s a natural for the parade director,” he says. “I have so many contacts in the Irish community. I’m able to promote it much better.”

This year, the great local Irish band Paddy’s Well starts the day with a concert on the main stage at 12:15. Closing out the day will be the inimitable Blackthorn.

“Paddy’s Well will draw people who want to be there early, and Blackthorn will close from 6 to 9,” he Bradley says. “So we’ve got a strong beginning and a strong ending.”

Everything in the middle is pretty strong, too—including a first-ever appearance by a group of local traditional Irish musicians who go by the name Pat the Budgie. They perform from 4:15 to 6.

“I just wanted to try something different,” he says. “These musicians play a lot up at the Irish Center, it’s part of the culture and it was being ignored.”

If you love Irish dance, you can expect to be surrounded by a sea of curly wigs. Eight of the area’s Irish dance schools will be performing throughout the day.

Of course, festival-going is thirsty work. So you can expect some nice cooling drinks—including, for the first time, Guinness. (Hard to believe, ain't it?) There’ll be lots of terrific food and tables full of Irish beads and trinkets to buy. The number of vendors is double last year’s, Bradley says: “Each year it just gets better and better.”

If you attended the festival before, we direct your rapt attention to our photo essay from 2007.

• View photo essay.
• View as slideshow.

Links

Visit the festival Web site.