The 35th Annual Pittsburgh Irish Festival is scheduled for Sept. 11-13, 2026, at the Carrie Blast Furnaces National Historic Landmark.
Organized by the non-profit Pittsburgh Irish Festival, Inc., the three-day event will feature music, dance, historical exhibits, children’s activities and traditional Irish food.
Discounted advance tickets are available online at pghirishfest.org.
Established in 1991, Pittsburgh Irish Festival, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created to promote awareness of Irish history and culture in the Pittsburgh region.
The annual festival takes place the weekend after Labor Day and supports year-round educational programming through the Irish Education Outreach Program.
Lots to see and do
New activities for the 2026 event include a floral arrangement workshop hosted by Essers Floral in the Five Farms Celtic Kitchen, where participants can repurpose Irish Cream bottles.
The festival will also introduce its first Irish trivia competition in partnership with Ya Jagoff! Media.
The expanded Celtic Wellness section will run across all three days of the event, featuring meditation, labyrinth walks, drum circles hosted by the Pittsburgh Women’s Wellness Drum Circle and Wyda Yoga, a movement practice originating from Celtic Druids.
A new stone circle will also be featured. Nearby, the Stone Circle Strongman area will offer visitors a chance to attempt lifting the McClurg Manhood Stones for a $10 donation, alongside a King of the Stones competition.
Attendees can learn about traditional Gaelic sports, such as hurling, camogie and Gaelic football, through demonstrations hosted by local professional and youth teams.
The Steeltown Acoustic Instruments Experience will provide interactive music sessions focused on Celtic instrumentation.
The Irish Dog Area will feature native Irish dog breeds, including Irish Setters, Irish Wolfhounds, Irish Terriers and Soft-coated Wheaten Terriers.
Children’s activities at Leprechaun’s Landing, presented by Shady Lane School, will include mini golf, bounce houses and craft projects.
An Irish Mass sponsored by local educational institutions is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 13, at 10 a.m. at the Celtic Spirit Stage.
Get your share of Irish fare
Food offerings at the festival marketplace include traditional items such as Irish sausage, boxty pancakes, Shepherd’s pie, corned beef and cabbage and fish and chips.
A traditional Irish breakfast will be served on Sunday, Sept. 13, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Advance registration for the breakfast is required online at pghirishfest.org/breakfast.
The marketplace will host more than 50 specialty vendor booths, including A Taste of Ireland in partnership with the Irish Design Center.
Cultural beverage tastings for attendees age 21 and older will be led by whiskey and brewing experts.
Journey through history
Mini tours of Carrie Blast Furnaces No. 6 and No. 7 will be conducted during the festival by Rivers of Steel for a small fee. Constructed in 1907 and taken offline in 1978, the furnaces represent pre-World War II iron-making technology that historically employed many workers of Irish descent.
The Genealogy Pavilion will provide reference materials and local search assistance for attendees tracing Irish ancestry, including research guidance for family members who worked at the Carrie Furnaces.
Historical and cultural presentations will take place at the Cultural Hedge School stage, modeled after historical Penal Law-era secret schools in Ireland.
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