Heritage, harmony, and Guinness flow at Kansas City Irish Festival 2025

A sea of green enveloped Crown Center August 29-31 for this year’s Kansas City Irish Festival. This year marks the 23rd anniversary of the festival and it was bigger and better than ever before. When it began in 2002, the festival was a modest event in the River Market, with artists performing at Hotel Phillips. Today, it has grown into the massive takeover of Crown Center and Washington Square Park we see now. With over twenty traditional Irish bands and dancers performing, all the Jameson and Guinness you could ask for, the ambassador to Ireland being present, and kilts galore, the Irish sure do know how to party. 

For me, the musical performances were the true highlight of the whole festival. The first band I had the pleasure of watching was Carswell and Hope at the Boulevard Stage. Carswell and Hope is an alt-rock band with a lead singer from Ireland that is based in Lawrence, Kansas. With psychedelic influence and delicate arrangements set against big rock sounds and a violin, their performance was an absolute delight. 

Equally impressive was Screaming Orphans performing at the Miller Lite Stage. The group, four sisters from Donegal, Ireland, are a powerhouse in the unique fusion of Celtic folk and pop. The Diver sisters have a trademark spine-tingling four-part harmony that blends seamlessly with their instrument mastery and high-energy performance. They’ve collaborated with greats including Sinéad O’Connor, Peter Gabriel, and Joni Mitchell. They were not to be missed–just like these next performers.

Another standout, Corner Boy, a band born in South-East Ireland, have spiced up a guitar-rock sound with Americana and Irish folk influences, creating a unique fusion of sound in an indie-trad style. Mick D’Arcy, as both lyricist and vocalist, deserves significant attention for combining folk, rock, traditional, bluegrass, and alternative into a cohesive recognizable sound. Among these greats, other performances included The Elders, The High Kings, The StepCrew, and many others. 

The children were not forgotten at the Irish Festival. The children’s center offered a variety of activities so kids could join in the lively festivities. They had balloon animals, face painting, bingo, henna tattoos, big checkers and tic-tac-toe, trampolines, bouncy houses, and even a silent disco. And the fun doesn’t end there.

Photo: Rowan Bickelhaupt

You could purchase raffle tickets to hopefully get lucky and win a trip to Ireland. One of the booths featured files of traditionally Irish family names, and if you found your last name, you could order the coat of arms associated with your family heritage. Other booths showcased traditional kilts, photography of Ireland, craft pottery, wind instruments such as bagpipes and flutes, and traditional handcrafted Celtic jewelry. 

A major highlight of the event was Art in the Park, which was Kansas City’s own version of a Dublin art fair. Dublin’s Merrion Square on the weekends became a huge outdoor gallery and art market where 200 artists displayed and sold their work on the iron fences that surrounded the old Georgian Square.

A few standouts of local artists included: Dragonflies and Cards, which revitalized the art of Kirigami– slicing and gluing paper to create artwork; Gena Kearn Studios that specializes in Celtic floral art; Indigo Moon Ceramics that featured handmade chess figures; Kevin’s Irish Art with Gaelic prints that could feature an Irish surname; and Yield the Crow who specializes in welded metal sculpture as seen below.

I had the opportunity to talk with some of the attendees of the festival to hear their stories of what made the Irish Festival so special to them. Suzie, a volunteer of the event, provided me with extensive knowledge of each musical performer and shared some of her story. She has been attending/volunteering for the event for 20 years and recalled an early memory of attending the first festival with her 16-year-old daughter.

The festival will always hold a special place in her heart.

Brooke, Trent, and Alex
Photo by: Rowan Bickelhaupt

Brooke, Trent, and Alex (as pictured below) have been attending the festival since its opening year and have looked forward to it every year since. They shared a hilarious anecdote from the festival a decade ago in which Trent had stuffed chicken strips into his pocket so he could carry two glasses of Guinness. By the end of the night, the chicken strips were nearly glued to his pants. Gaelic Storm is one of their favorite bands, making the festival a must-see event. You may recognize them from the hit film Titanic. They even had the chance to meet with the band and had an excellent conversation with them. “Gaelic Storm, Guinness beer, and chicken strips are all you need in life,” said Alex. 

The Kansas City Irish Festival has grown from humble beginnings into one of the city’s most anticipated cultural celebrations, blending music, art, tradition, and community into one unforgettable weekend.

Whether it’s the soul-stirring harmonies of Irish performers, the laughter of children in the play areas, or the shared stories and Guinness toasts among lifelong friends, the festival is more than just an event—it’s an experience that unites people in joy and heritage.