Featured Artist: Gaelic Storm
Featured Artist: T with the Maggies
Featured Artist: Eileen Ivers
Featured Artist: Tannahill Weavers
Festival Timeline
Click on any date to learn more or use the navigation arrows on the left or right
- 1988
- 1989
- 1990
- 1991
- 1992
- 1993
- 1994
- 1995
- 1996
- 1997
- 1998
- 1999
- 2000
- 2001
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
- 2005
- 2006
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
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1988
The Dublin Irish Festival is born at Coffman Park and 350 Step dancers participate in the Columbus Feis, the Irishmen perform.
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1989
Attendees circle their cars and use headlights so Festival dancing could continue into the night. Green Fields of America perform as the Festival’s first national band.
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1990
Five hundred people turn out to hear Innisheer and Green Fields of America.
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1991
A full-color reproduction of the Book of Kells, and illuminated manuscript of the Four Gospels, is displayed.
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1992
The City of Dublin becomes the lead sponsor, adding a Wee Folk area, Cultural Corner, Irish café and a Pub
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1993
Attendance jumps to 10,000 and a Genealogy Tent is introduced.
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1994
A soccer game between Irish and the U.S teams, along with a 5K Run introduce the first sports to the Festival.
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1995
Oscar Mayer conducts a national talent search at the Festival. The Festival does not open on Sunday due to extreme storms on Saturday.
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1996
The Festival expands to three days and attendance more than doubles from the previous year, reaching 30,000.
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1997
The 10th anniversary is celebrated as Festival goers set the Guinness Book of World Records’ Largest Irish Jig. Celtic rock bands also perform at the festival for the first time.
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1998
Brian Boru’s Ireland is added and the first Sand Sculpture is built.
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1999
The Economic Impact of the Festival is approximately $1.5 million, a Festival website is launched for the first time.
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2000
55,000 visitors enjoy expanded Festival grounds as the Emerald Club, Spoken Word Tent and Emerald Isle debut.
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2001
A Teen area is introduced and Sunday Services expand to add a third Catholic Mass.
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2002
With record-breaking temperatures, the Festival celebrates 15 years with 70,000 guests. The Dub Crawl makes its debut.
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2003
Flogging Molly play for the first time at the Festival, the Music Workshop tent debuts and the Festival’s Economic Impact reaches more than $4 million.
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2004
The Festival is selected as an American Bus Associations Top 100 Event in North America, the 5K run moves to Thursday night in Historic Dublin during DubCrawl.
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2005
Tickets are available for purchase online for the first time, the Daughters of Erin Tea Room and Festival Academy debut.
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2006
The Festival adds six acres, expanding to the south grounds. Whiskey Tastings are added and the Dublin Irish Festival stout debuts. The Festival is the first annual festival to win the EXPY Award from Experience Columbus.
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2007
The Festival rings in its 20th year with a performance of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra with Seven Nations. The Celtic Rock Club and Shamrock Stage are introduced.
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2008
The Festival holds its first wedding. The Festival goes social with the launch of a Facebook page and first Tweets.
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2009
Attendance surpasses 100,000 for first time and the Festival collects more than 8,000 lbs of food for Dublin Food Pantry on Sunday.
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2010
The Dub Club and two additional Sunday Services are introduced, the economic impact of the Festival reaches over $6 million.
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2011
The Festival introduces live streaming , the first Mead Tasting debuts with huge success.
2012 Dublin Irish Festival
Scholarship Winners
The Dublin Irish Festival has announced that Polly Stidhem from Dublin Coffman High School, and Mitchell Graham from Jerome High School, were selected from among a prestigious group of candidates to be the recipients of the 2012 Dublin Irish Festival scholarships. Previously, a scholarship of $1,000 was awarded to each of the winners. This year, [...]
Gatherings at the Pond
Isn’t it time you gathered your family, friends and neighbors for a reunion? The Dublin Irish Festival offers a unique opportunity to get together, have fun and enjoy the hospitality of the Irish. Family gatherings, reunions, non-profit organizations, civic associations and others are discovering Gatherings at the Pond, a private space in Coffman Park near [...]
Largest Gathering of Redheads
Do you have red hair? Then get in the picture! Join fellow redheads at the Midwest’s Largest Gathering of Redheads photoshoot. There will be a group photo opportunity, Sunday 5 p.m. at the Tansky Toyota Sawmill Greenfield Sports Area bleachers.
