Celebrate Iowa-ish heritage in Waterloo

Irish culture is on display this weekend. (Photo: Young Heart Photography)

Follow the rainbow (or just Interstate 35 to Highway 20) to some gold-star entertainment in Waterloo. The annual Iowa Irish Festival, Aug. 2-4, is one of the state’s biggest celebrations of Irish heritage, organized by the Cedar Valley Irish Cultural Association.

Visitors can see a variety of Irish performances across several stages in downtown’s Lincoln Park, including Irish dancing and kilt competitions, plus concerts full of bagpipes, harps and fiddles. There will also be cultural workshops and demonstrations, from blacksmithing to whiskey tastings to Irish language learning and more. If you’re feeling lucky (or competitive), try your hand at a few classic Irish sports in the Highland Games, Gaelic football, rugby and even sheep herding. (Seriously, how baaaaahd can it be?)

Check out the full schedule and purchase tickets online.

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