Irish Fair, Los Angeles

This is the big Irish Fair with about 9 stages at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine–and worth the trip.  There will be a shuttle from the Irvine Amtrak Surfliner/Metrolink station.  For drivers there is free parking at the park.  It is a two day event and has been going on for more than 30 years at various LA/OC venues.  Sadly the website has been hacked, but hopefully it will be up soon: https://www.irishfair.org/

he BIG Irish Fair and Music Festival was founded in 1975, and then in 1976 the BIG Irish Fair moved to Devonshire Downs in Northridge, California – home of the San Fernando Valley Fair.

Brothers Allyn and Terry (RIP) Anderson founded the event and the sponsoring non-profit Foundation in an effort to combine the very best of Renaissance Pleasure Fairs with the Scottish Highland Games – only infused exclusively with everything Irish. The result was magic, and public support for the BIG Irish Fair has multiplied ever since.

The BIG Irish Fair has had many locations over the years including the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, Santa Anita Racetrack in Arcadia, Irvine Meadows in south Irvine , Irvine Lake in Orange County, El Dorado Park in Long Beach and continues to present the living legends in Irish music  The BIG Irish Fair has been viewed as a living Irish cultural center because it presents the very best in Irish music, song, dance and sport and is the largest Irish outdoor exhibition in the Western United States. From sheep herding shows to harp and fiddle competitions to ancient Irish displays and reenactments to Gaelic sports to the absolute best in new age and traditional Irish entertainment –  the BIG Irish Fair is the event to visit to learn, enjoy and share the very best in all things Irish. The BIG Irish Fair always showcases the very best in local Irish and Irish American talent. Never locked into the old, the BIG Irish Fair has a well earned reputation for searching out and showcasing edgy and fun-filled younger talent to reflect the changing times.

Over 1000 Irish Step Dancers

The BIG Irish Fair also features one of the largest Irish Step Dancing Feis’s in America with over a 1000 Irish Step Dancers competing on 6 different stages. Over 100 Irish, Scottish and British import shops and arts & craft vendors also are featured at the BIG Irish Fair.

Over 30,000 People Attend the BIG Irish Fair Now in its 40th year – the BIG Irish Fair has become a landmark for Irish and Irish American culture and family entertainment.  It has been described as the happiest and most fun filled event in all of Southern California.