Raglan Road Hosts Irish Festival ‘The Great Irish Hooley’ at Downtown Disney 31 August - 3 September

[Wendy]

Labor Day weekend guests at Downtown Disney Pleasure Island can eat, drink, dance and celebrate during Central Florida’s first boutique Irish festival -- The Great Irish Hooley -- August 31 through Sept. 3.

A traditional Irish social celebration, the “Hooley” combines music ranging from traditional to rock tunes with entertainment and interactive fun for the whole family. Raglan Road’s Great Irish Hooley will make the long weekend memorable with a mix of great Irish bands, Irish Dance Workshops for anyone in the family, structured set dancing known as the Ceili (pronounced kay-lee), Celtic face-painting Saturday through Monday and authentic food and beverages for all.

“At last, Orlando has its own boutique Irish festival like those found back home in Ireland and in certain other U.S. cities,” says John Cooke, a founding partner of Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant. “This unique Irish festival will be jam packed with the best of Irish music and entertainment outside of Ireland.”

The four-day party kicks off Friday, August 31 at 5 p.m. and continues through midnight Monday, Sept 3. The Great Irish Hooley entertainment lineup includes six top Irish bands and a troupe of acclaimed dancers:

• Full Set, a popular Irish band that released its successful debut album last year. The band plays the festival Friday through Monday to begin a U.S. tour that includes the Milwaukee Irish Fest.
  
  
• Elevation, the U2 Tribute Band. Elevation will play the pub stage Saturday and a full show under the Florida sky on the patio stage Sunday evening.
  
  
• Creel, Raglan Road’s popular house band, will play all weekend.
  
  
• The Raglan Rogues, here from Dublin with their energetic expression of Irish folk and traditional tunes, will play Thursday through Monday.
  
  
• Danny Burns brings his unique blend of Irish ballads and contemporary Irish music to Raglan Friday through Monday.
  
  
• Johnny “Snaggs” Norton is a renowned Dublin entertainer in the tradition of the great Irish folk and ballad groups who has toured worldwide with Riverdance. His performances Saturday through Monday include sing-along songs from the great Traditional Irish Songbook.
  
  
• The Raglan Road Irish Dancers, the resident six-strong troupe of champion Irish dancers plucked from the stages of the most famed Irish dance shows, perform throughout the weekend.

There is no cover charge for the events.

Check out the full schedule here

[Tink]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I have to WORK that Saturday!

[Wendy]

Oh Tink, no I thought about you when I was posting it, I knew you'd probably like to go

Is there any way you can change

[Tink]

No. It's a holiday weekend and no one will want to switch out with me. I'll survive, but I sure wish we could have gone.

[Beccaberry]

That sounds like so much fun! I wonder if Baleigh would fancy a trip to Disney World for her birthday?

[Wendy]

That sounds like so much fun! I wonder if Baleigh would fancy a trip to Disney World for her birthday?

It's too early

[Beccaberry]

Lol, no no, I don't mean this trip ;-) her birthday is September 2nd ;-)

[Wendy]

I know I meant it's too early to be going back at the beginning of September, the end or early October would be a better time to visit

[Beccaberry]

Hahaha how about September AND October?? I do have an AP after all ;-)