Barrington Celtic Fest runs Thursday through Saturday
The Village of Barrington, for the seventh straight year, will play host to one of the largest St. Patrick's Day events in the suburban area.
From Thursday, March 16, through Saturday March 18, the Barrington Celtic Fest will take place in the center of the village, on the 200 block of Park Avenue, just East of South Cook Street, and at McGonigal's Pub, 105 S. Cook St.
The three-day festival officially begins at 5 p.m. March 16 and features a huge, heated festival tent erected over the block of Park Avenue.
McGonigal's Pub opens at 11 a.m. Thursday and Saturday, but will open at 10 a.m. St. Patrick's Day. The festival tent opens at 5 p.m. Thursday and 11 a.m. both Friday and Saturday.
Admission to the festival is free all weekend, but attendees are encouraged to visit the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life booth in the tent and donate to the group.
The agenda includes an impressive lineup of entertainment featuring a plethora of live Irish and rock music, five separate Irish dance troupe performances, retail merchant The Irish Boutique, bagpipers, live DJs, and food and beverages both in the outdoor festival tent and in the pub.
Limited seating for dining is available on a first-come, first-served basis in The Loft, the pub's second level, and there will be numerous tables in the festival tent.
Pub menus will be limited from the normal offerings, though there will be additional food options in the tent from McGonigal's Pub, Clarke's Bakery & Deli and pizza samples from Remember Charlotte's, slated to open in April.
All food and beverage transactions in the tent will be cash only; credit cards can be used in the pub.
The festival is one block east of Route 59 (Hough Street) and half a block south of Lake-Cook Road (Main Street), and two blocks west of the Barrington Metra station. Free parking is available at the Metra station and elsewhere downtown.
Full details on Barrington Celtic Fest, including directions, entertainment schedules and information on the participants, is at www.barringtonpub.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/celticfest.