New CNY Irish Festival set for July in Oneida County

DEANSBORO, N.Y. — The newly formed Central New York Irish Festival is set for Friday and Saturday, July 22 and 23 at MKJ Farm in the hamlet of Deansboro in Oneida County.

The family event celebrates Celtic music and culture and includes live music, Celtic Highland games, vendors, a fun zone for kids, and food trucks.

“Here in the Mohawk Valley, we have always cherished and celebrated our rich Irish culture,” Kathy Stockbridge, one of the event organizers, said in a news release. “The CNY Irish Festival plans to continue this celebration with a two-day event that is full of music, culture, and family-friendly fun.”

The Elders — a six-piece Irish American folk-rock band from Kansas City, Missouri —is headlining the event with performances on both Friday and Saturday nights. Other performers include Arise and Go, Enter The Haggis, House of Hamill, The Moxie Strings, Searson, and Triskele.

The festival also offers an Irish cultural area with Irish dance groups, session band Craobh Dugan O’Looney, and solo performers Rick Bedrosian and Donal O’Shaughnessy.

Event hours are from 5-11 p.m. on Friday, July 22 and noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday, July 23 at MKJ Farm, 6844 West Hughes Road (Route 12B), in Deansboro.

Advance sale tickets are available through July 8 for $15 for Friday, $20 for Saturday, or $30 for both days. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.cnyirishfest.com.