A new Irish festival coming to Marin in April

Red Barn Productions announced its latest Bay Area event, Ceili On the Lake, an Irish Dance & Music Festival, on Saturday, April 27, and Sunday, April 28 at Lagoon Park at the Marin County Fairgrounds. The event celebrates a love of traditional Irish culture.

Festivalgoers are invited to come “join the dance” in this inaugural two-day Ceili (pronounced KAY-lee) – Irish Gaelic for a party of neighbors and friends with music, dancing, food, and drink! Local Irish dance studios will present a variety of traditional and modern dances performed in Irish hard or soft shoes. Newcomers and novices are also welcome to celebrate the springtime season with Irish dance, as instructors lead two open sessions of Ceili dancing each day. 

Ceili On the Lake will have something for everyone. Popular Bay Area musicians from the traditional and modern Irish music scenes will be performing, while festivalgoers have the chance to play in the Musicians’ Snug in seisiún format, an open session in which anyone who can play Irish music is welcome!.

Along with traditional Irish music and dance, sheepdogs will put their wooly friends through their paces in daily sheep-herding demonstrations presented by the Redwood Empire Sheep Dog Association.

“We feel this is the perfect time to create a new celebration to share the joys of music, dance, good food, and drink with neighbors, family, and friends. Irish traditions are well-loved and are meant to make everyone feel welcome,” says event producer Drew Patterson. 

The Patterson family knows about making merry. They created the original Renaissance Pleasure Faire, which was held at Black Point Forest in Marin for 30 years. They continue to produce the much-beloved Great Dickens Christmas Fair each holiday season at the Cow Palace in San Francisco.