Runa, winner of two Irish Music Awards, performs at An Ri Ra
An Rí Rá Montana Irish Festival celebrates Irish culture and heritage Aug. 14-16 in Montana’s bastion of Irish tradition: Uptown Butte. Entertainment includes performances by the Cathie Ryan Band, The Town Pants, The Ne’er Duwels featuring Ken O’Malley, Runa, Dublin Gulch, The Trinity Irish Dancers, The Tiernan Irish Dancers, and more, all at the Original Mine Yard.
The festival kicks off Friday with a slew of workshops, including instruction in Irish dance with the Trinity Irish Dancers, music with Cathie Ryan, Irish language and crochet. Dance and musical performances begin at 3 p.m.
Saturday brings the annual An Rí Rá Road Race; buses depart at 9 a.m. Saturday from Father Sheehan Park for one-mile, 5k and 10k races. Register online at mtgaelic.org.
Festivities continue with more Irish language workshops and lectures, and a stream of Irish music and dancing beginning at noon at the Original Mine Yard stage
The festival is a favorite for performers. “The band loves not only An Rí Rá, but Butte as well,” wrote the Makem and Spain Brothers. “If there’s an American town we’ve been to that embodies the spirit of Irish folk music, it’s Butte. It’s the hard-working, hard-playing people that have always struck a chord with us.”
Art, craft and food vendors sell their wares, and raffles offer trips to Ireland, Hawaii and Notre Dame for a football game.
Admission to the 13th annual event is free; festival-goers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and umbrellas.
Call 406-498-3983 or visit www.mtgaelic.org.