Chole Agnew & Nathan Carter
[photo: Brad Balfour}
A newcomer to the United States Irish festival scene, the Wild Atlantic Fleadh debuts during St. Patrick’s Week 2021. Running from March 13th to 17th, the Fleadh is a virtual five-day celebration of all things Celtic, spanning genres of music, dance and culture.
And for those a little unfamiliar with Gaelic, A Fleadh (pronounced “fla”) is a festival of Irish or Celtic music, dancing, and culture. The Wild Atlantic Way is a is one of the longest defined coastal routes in the world. It winds its way all along the Irish west coast from the Inishowen Peninsula in the north down to the picturesque town of Kinsale, County Cork, in the South. It features wild landscapes, traditional culture, foot-tapping music sessions and off-the-boat-fresh seafood.
Annually, March is Irish American heritage month and the Fleadh’s goal is to celebrate a shared heritage by producing a world-class festival focused on Ireland’s rich history of music, arts and culture. Billed as an Online Celtic Festival Experience, Wild Atlantic Fleadh (WAF) offers access to over 60 different events, across three stages.
WAF will present shows by Irish, Scottish and American artists who have been affected by the current global pandemic. This inaugural event provides them with a unique opportunity to offer some of their best performances while bringing artists and fans together in an online community.
Musical performances at the festival run the gamut from top PBS shows such as Celtic Thunder to world acclaimed traditional musicians Cherish the Ladies, Celtic country heartthrob Nathan Carter, Riverdance tenor Michael Londra, folk duo Byrne and Kelly, Celtic Woman star Chloë Agnew and newcomer Emma Langford. All of these artists had their entire itinerary of shows for 2020 cancelled or postponed.
The Fleadh takes place across three separate stages. MainStage features the daily headliners with supporting acts before the main event.
The Pub is exactly what an Irish pub should be— warm and welcoming with traditional music, dance and storytellers. The Pub will also feature a resident award-winning mixologist and world class chef offering cocktail and cooking demonstrations as well as special guests popping in for a chat.
The Wild Atlantic Club is the third stage, a smaller, more intimate venue that offers acoustic shows, workshops and performances from comedians, poets and up-and-coming artists.
Music
Celtic Thunder
Cherish The Ladies
Nathan Carter
Byrne and Kelly
Chloë Agnew
Emmet Cahill
Damian McGinty
Michael Londra and band
Emma Langford
UCD Choral Scholars
Colin Keegan & Laura Durrant
Barry Kerr and Friends
More artists will be announced shortly.
Dance
The rhythmic magic of Irish step dancing is something you simply can’t miss. Both Michael Londra and Cherish the Ladies shows feature world champion dancers, many of whom are Riverdance and Lord of the Dance alum. Festival attendees can further delight in performances of Irish dance from The Pub, as well as dance workshops at the Wild Atlantic Club throughout the fleadh.
Culture
The Wild Atlantic Fleadh brings together a wide variety talent, performances and workshops. To be featured are the works of internationally acclaimed Irish poet Louis de Paor, the storytelling expertise of actor Phelim Drew and sketches from some of Ireland’s favorite comedians. There is a fine art exhibit hall with a great selection of the guest artists.
Demonstrations
Daily, The Fleadh offers great Irish culinary recipes and tips from award-winning top Irish chefs, just in time for St Patrick’s Day. The chef is joined International award-winning mixologist Liam Cotter with daily cocktail demonstrations and ideas for all guests over 21 years of age.
Travel
The Virtual Irish Travel Village offers a wealth of information, insider tips, trends and deals. Festival goers can check out the Wild Atlantic Way, learn about Ireland’s Ancient East, virtually explore Northern Ireland Coastal Causeway, research their Genealogy and plan a future trip to Ireland for when the time is right.
Socials
Connect with the Wild Atlantic Fleadh at
Facebook:@WildAtlanticFleadh
Twitter: @wildfleadh
Instagram: @wildatlanticfleadh
Tickets cost $75 and are available from December 4th, 2020 on the Wild Atlantic Fleadh website. For tickets and more info, visit www.wildatlanticfleadh.com