Music, dance, and fun on tap over 3 weekends
The Irish Cultural Centre of New England (ICCNE) in Canton is making a big change in the presentation of its annual Irish Festival this year.
Since 1990, the non-profit organization has staged a three-day festival of Irish music, dance, and merriment over one weekend, usually early in the month of June. The event, once billed as the largest Irish outdoor celebration in the Northeast, was held in its early years on the campus of Stonehill College off Route 138 in North Easton, and later was moved to the ICCNE’s Canton campus where it has taken place for the last decade.

This year, the activities will take place on three successive weekends, beginning on Sat., May 31, with each weekend featuring a different theme. The event is branded  “Boston Irish Festivals 2014 – Three weekends of Irish music, dance, sports, food, shopping, entertainment, kids activities and more.”
The schedule includes:
Saturday, May 31– Sports and children’s day, featuring a 5k road race (9 a.m. registration, 10 a.m. start), amusements, rides, tug of war, field games for kids, Boston Irish Wolfhounds rugby clinics and games, Irish Youth Sports League  clinics and games at 3 p.m., arts & crafts, food, music, GAA football and hurling games, starting at 4 p.m.
Friday, Saturday, June 6-7 – Music Festival, featuring a “farewell tour” performance by Black 47 and the Screaming Orphans on Friday night, and on Saturday an all-day Irish music outlay on multiple stages, with special guest Eileen Ivers and Immigrant Soul, dozens of bands, step dancing performances, vendors from all over the East Coast with the best Irish shopping to be found, great food, and more.
Saturday, June 14 – Second annual Boston Irish Festival Feis, an Irish Step Dancing competition, with some of the best schools in New England competing. Plenty of Irish food, music and fun along with all the dancing!  Performances begin at 9 a.m. and end at 4 p.m.