Made in the shade at the Syracuse Irish Fest.
Dancers with a high step.
Singers of Celtic rock.
Singers with traditional strings.
Spirits and spirit.
The Syracuse Irish Festival was again sponsored by Guinness last Friday and Saturday, and it was pretty evident that the people it drew to downtown’s Clinton Square felt pretty darn Irish about the whole thing. In March, St. Patrick’s Day has America’s Irish up. Six months opposed in Central New York, this festival has evolved into an event with much the same emotions attached.
There are plenty of thoughts and photos with my weekly community blog on Syracuse Public Media site waer.org. (Photos are usually posted around 9 a.m.)
If you’d like to visit that robust site, click the link below.
http://waer.org/post/six-months-st-patricks-day-everybody-feels-irish-clinton-square
There aren’t many arguments against this sentiment.
Does your community have an opposite-of-St. Patrick’s Day event, and if so, does it carry the same sort of passion? What do you prefer more, Celtic rock or traditional Irish strings? The stout of Guinness or lighter appeal of Harp?
Mark Bialczak 
Oh that sounds like so much fun! 😀
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And as we’re finding out now, likely the last really warm weekend of the season, too, Rachel. Low 60s tops today and through Sunday. Better in Florida, too, I hope.
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No, we got back up to the high 90s this weekend. UGH! 🙂 But I did notice your photos of everyone in coats and I loved it! 😀
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Do you think you’ll move back north ever, Rachel? It sounds to me like you miss the seasons. 🙂
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YES, I definitely miss a LOT about the north. As soon as I get money to move, I’m there. I’ve been planning on it forever, but now that my kids are grown, I think it will be sooner before later. At least I hope so. 🙂
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Loved this one, I am always one to attend different ethnicities festivals! I am one who loves almost every kind of worldwide food, but Irish music and Celtic cultural events are some of my favorites, Mark!
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It was so lively, Robin, you would have loved it!
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I think this Puerto Rican would feel Irish there! Looks like so much fun! 🙂
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I think you would be right at home, Mrs. B. Fiery fun welcome! 🙂
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Guinness, though I’d try the Harp. It’s just one party after another with you, isn’t it? 😉 Nice work, all.
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Why not go when it’s 3.5 miles from our Syracuse city neighborhood house? Another reason why I think this is such a livable place, Liz.
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this looks so great, who wouldn’t want to be irish for the day? i’m such a huge fan of local festivals as you know, and i’m happy so many are in your city for you to enjoy –
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You have the right hair and surname for the festivities, that’s for sure, my dear friend. I think the only one we are missing here is Festivus. Mr. Costanza didn’t get up here from Queens, Beth!
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Who WOULDN’T want to feel Irish????? 🙂
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Perfect, O’Colleen!
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Ooops! Didn’t know it would show up that large!!!
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Large is OK. My space is our space. 🙂
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😀 Thank you.
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Ha! Sounds like fun Mark! I never could resist an Irish celebration. My Grandfather on my Dad’s side immigrated to Canada (the part without snow yet – Ha Diana) from County Cork, Ireland. I was never given much of the history but my Mom (who, being of Scottish descent prefers “Mum”) visited the old chuch a few years ago, in Ireland where my grandparents were married. The marriage records and birth records were all there. That was when the church kept such records and not the gov’t. Anyway, I’m the type of guy who would revel in having furniture built from wine barrels. Ha! No woman currently in my life – that’s how I get away with it.
I have never developed a taste for the old country brews, but there are always alternatives available and I’m a happy imbiber. And joining other outside in the fresh air to celebrate is an added bonus. What was the origin of the 6 month celebration in Syracuse Mark? Perhaps a lot of Irish who couldn’t wait a year? Ha!
Great post!
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I like the delving in to your family history, Paul. My sister Francine recently did something similar, with the help of one of the neighbors when we were growing up who has made it one of her passions doing that sort of digging, and then they put the results into a book, and my sister presented one to me and our sister Dory as gifts. It’s very sweet. It has a Polish sticker for one side and a German sticker for the other.
As for the beverages, I bet if you could find and sample a Harp, you’d like it. I’m not at all for the thick and dark Guinness, but I quite enjoy the amber and tasty sister Harp.
Let me know if you get a chance to put it past the lips.
Thanks, Paul. Have a great Wednesday in your non-snowy Eastern half of my great neighbor Canada.
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I love how many festivals and celebrations go on in your neck of the woods Mark! It’s snowing still in my corner of the world and I’m thinking we should just go ahead and have a Santa Claus parade..Ugh….
Diana xo
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Dang, Diana, have you shoveled or had to dig out in any way already? Unbelievable. It’s 75 (F) and sunny here. Not rubbing it in … This weekend is Festa Italiano. Not rubbing it in. Karen and I will eat Italian, you think? 🙂
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It was 75 here on Sunday and 32 on Monday! That’s a 40 something drop in degrees Mark!
Enjoy the warmth and festivities by you Mark. We are promised a return to summer by the end of the week.
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Those wild temperature swings are usually accompanied by wild mood swings the entire populace of the region in my part of the world, Diana, up for warm, down for cold. Just an observation. ❤
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This post helped me consider feeling and acting Irish, Mark. I hope to sing and dance a jig at some point today. Thank you.
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Pick the right spot, Ann, and it possibly could turn into a wonderful Boston flash mob dance. In that case, I hope your phone camera is handy!
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