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2023 Entertainment Schedule

Band Lineup

FREE ADMISSION TO YOUR FAVORITE IRISH AND CELTIC BANDS!

Race Street Stage

Friday, July 14th 

5PM-11PM

Saturday, July 15th

12PM-11PM

Sunday, July 16th

12PM-7PM

Lawn STAGE

Friday, July 8th

5PM-11PM

Saturday, July 9th

12PM-11PM

Sunday, July 10th

12PM-7pm

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Ballydesmond

Ballydesmond is a twosome (Tim Kehoe & Tim Daugherty) that met about six years at the Riley School of Irish Music and started playing with some other Celtic bands locally. Two years ago, they began playing as a duo and have focused on tunes and songs in Irish Traditional music, as well as those from other Celtic lands and have even ventured into other genres at times.

Lawn Stage:

Friday - 6:15-7pm

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Cincinnati Highland Dancers

Cincinnati Highland Dancers are Cincinnati's OFFICIAL Scottish Highland Dance group. CHD is led by Louise L. Reid, SOBHD Judge and Fellow Member BATD and Melissa K. Volck, Fellow Member of the British Association of Teachers of Dancing. In addition to competing in local, regional, national and world competitions, the dancers of CHD enjoy performing throughout the year for the community while preserving the Scottish Culture through the art of Scottish Highland Dancing. 

Race Street Stage:

Friday - 8-8:15pm & 9:30-9:50pm

Saturday - 9:30-9:50pm

Lawn Stage:

Saturday - 7:30-7:45pm

Sunday - 1:45-2:15pm

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The Erickson Academy of Irish Dance

The Erickson Academy of Irish Dance, located on Cincinnati's east side, has been offering Irish dance lessons to children, teens, and adults since 1998. Under the direction of Allison Weber Erickson, ADCRG and Allison McClanahan Carr, TCRG, Erickson Academy has gained a reputation for being a positive family-friendly studio. From their world qualifiers to their recreational dancers, each dancer is taught with the same love and passion for Irish dancing. 

Lawn Stage:

Friday - 5-5:30pm

Saturday- 1:45-2:15pm

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The Friendly Sons of
St. Patrick Glee Club

The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick Glee Club is the musical group of the private organization (Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick) dedicated to the principles of brotherhood, charity and community service. Over the past 35 years, the Cincinnati chapter of the Glee Club has presented thousands of benefit and goodwill performances throughout the community. On a recent 4th of July, the group sang for a US Chamber of Commerce event in Dublin, Ireland and then presented a private performance for the President of Ireland. The sixty-some voices are led by Musical Director Chris Miller. 

Lawn Stage:

Sunday - 1:45-2:15pm

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Jeni's Chickens

Jeni’s Chickens are a group of friends and experienced traditional musicians from the greater Cincinnati area, specializing in the dance music of Ireland. Jeni Balcom-harp and concertina, Doug Mast-accordion, mandolin and bouzouki, Amy Bogard- flute and whistle. We have performed at regional Celtic festivals, St. Patrick’s Day events, pubs, ceili dances, and private parties.

Lawn Stage:

Saturday - 2:45-3:30pm and 7-7:45pm

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John McBride

John McBride is a Kerry style bodhrán player and instructor. In 2011 the great Galway bodhrán artisan, Michael Vignoles of Ireland Woodcrafts, named one of his professional drum models after John. The year 2013 marked the release of his Kerry Style Beginner Bodhrán Instruction Video, which has received sterling reviews by publications and contemporaries, and reached #1 selling Amazon music instruction video.

Lawn Stage:

Saturday - 6:30-6:45pm & 8:30-8:45pm

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McGing School of
Irish Dance

Established in 1977, the McGing School of Irish Dance is Cincinnati’s most decorated Irish dancing school who has taught thousands of dancers of all ages to discover their love & passion for Irish Dance whether it be performing, competing or dancing just for fun. McGing Irish Dancers have achieved immeasurable competitive success including 4 World Championship Titles and are proudly home to the 2nd Place Minor Girls Figure Team from the 2019 World Irish Dancing Championships. From their humble beginnings the McGing Irish Dancers have grown to become a household name in the city of Cincinnati and pride themselves on being an internationally renowned program that gives children self-confidence, poise, and a fit body & mind both on and off the dance floor.  

Race Street Stage:

Friday - 7:15-7:30pm & 8:15-8:45pm

Saturday - 2-2:30pm & 8-8:45pm

Sunday - 4-4:30pm

Lawn Stage

Saturday - 6-6:30pm

Sunday - 3-3:30pm

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Roving Rogues

First formed in 2006, the Roving Rogues are a group of experienced traditional musicians from the greater Cincinnati area. Specializing in the dance music of Ireland, they are mainstays at the Dayton Celtic Festival and have anchored its ceili band since 2010. Rex Cochran plays bodhran and drums, Doug Mast plays accordion and banjo, Tim Clarke plays concertina, Amy Bogard plays flute, Kate Riker plays fiddle, and Jeni Balcom plays harp and piano.

Lawn Stage:

Friday - 6:45-7:30pm & 9:30-10:15pm

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The Riley School of Irish Music

Founded in 1996 by Susan Cross Gilligan, the Riley School is a community of children, teens and adults dedicated to the pursuit of Irish traditional music. Quarterly sessions are offered starting in September through May. The mission of the Riley School is to foster and broaden appreciation of traditional Irish music in the Greater Cincinnati region through instruction, communal events, and enrichment activities. Small class sizes provide a rewarding and effective way for students to experience the history, camaraderie and joy of playing traditional Irish music. Learn more at https://rileyirishmusic.com/

Lawn Stage:

Irish Ceili with the Riley School Ceili Band:

Friday: 8-9pm 

Saturday: 8:45-9:45pm

The Riley School All Community Performers:

Sunday: 3:45-4:45pm

The Riley School Adult Ensemble:

5:45-6:30pm

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