Church Hill Irish Festival March 24, 2012

This year's Irish Festival starts on Saturday with the St. Patrick’s Parade and continues with a 4-block street fair in front of St. Patrick’s Church on North 25th Street between Broad and Franklin Streets in Historic Church Hill.

More than 45 traditional Irish musicians, local bands, dancers, and bagpipers will perform on two stages throughout the weekend. Sponsored by Guinness, this year’s line-up includes Uisce Beatha, The Janet Martin Band, The Bart Chucker Band, Tinkers Damn, Echolalia, Powder Keg, Haze and the Transients, and many other local favorites. Celtic/Irish crafts and merchandise, family fun, children’s games in a huge kid’s area, food, refreshments, and more.

The inaugural Hill Topper 5k Race will kick off at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 25. The race through the Historic Church Hill neighborhood will begin and end at 25th and Broad Streets, and will benefit the neighborhood and The Robinson Theater. Come out and run with us!

Free Shuttle parking located at 16th and East Broad Streets.

Proceeds benefit St. Baldrick’s Society, St. Francis Home, Little Sisters of the Poor, Church Hill Crime Watch, Child Saver’s Clinic of Richmond, St. Peter’s Meals Program, The Conrad Center, Stone Circle of Friends, Cullather Brain Tumor Quality of Life Center at Bon Secours, St. John’s Church, Prevent Blindness Virginia and many other neighborhood causes, and St. Patrick’s Church, “a little church with a big heart,” built in 1859 by Irish immigrants.

Official Website: http://www.churchhillirishfestival.com/