The Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural and Sports Centre is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded in 1987 to serve as a center of Irish culture by preserving and promoting Irish/Irish-American cultural and artistic heritage. The East Durham Irish Festival is one of the longest running USA Irish festivals, in its 47th year in 2024. We feature the best of Irish music, dance, & fun every Memorial Day weekend with over 6,000 attendees.

Get your business in front of thousands of attendees and support our Irish heritage at the same time! Sponsor the East Durham Irish Festival this year.

The East Durham Irish Festival, held every Memorial Weekend is in its 48th year! It is one of the longest running Irish festivals in the country. We celebrate the festival on the Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural & Sports Centre grounds, a non profit 501c3 organization dedicated to maintaining the traditional aspects of our Irish. We present to the public a variety of Irish cultural programs, both historic and contemporary, in fine arts, language, literature, theater, music, dance, folk arts and sports.

Memorial Day Weekend May 24-25, 2025

Friday Night 7:00 pm Kickoff & Toast to the opening of another festival year at our official festival Beer Garden. Free admission. See details below.
Saturday 10am-10pm
Sunday Holy Mass 10:00 am
Sunday 12 noon-9pm
 

East Durham Irish Festival Grounds
2267 Route 145
East Durham, NY

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What to Expect

The festival is great for all ages, young & old. We will have many events, workshops and things to do for kids this year in our Kids Tent: Irish crafts, music lessons, face painting, pony rides and wild animals. Good Irish food & drink can be found at every corner along with the traditional festival treats.

Strollers & wagons are encouraged for little ones. Bring a blanket to sit on the lawn but chairs and tables are available in all areas of the festival.

Catholic Mass

There will be a holy Mass on Sunday May 25th at 10:00 am on the grounds in the main pavilion, given again this year by Father Fragomeni, a priest of the Diocese of Albany who has taught since 1990 at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. The Mass is free to all.

Beer Garden

This year we will kick off the festival Friday night 7:00 pm in our “Beer Garden”!

Come join us for that Irish Pub feeling as we toast the opening of another festival year. The Beer Garden will be open for music, singing songs, and meeting friends of past & new. All are welcome. Bring your instrument if you have one. Free admission Friday night, just walk in the gate to the Beer Garden. No vendors will be open.

Donegal Cottage

Our authentic Donegal cottage will have its opening day for the season both Saturday & Sunday, 12:00-6:00 pm. Come visit us and step back in time to see how the Irish lived. We’ll burn some turf bricks, have local artisans, open sessions all day in and outside the cottage, and Irish soda bread. Don’t forget to purchase a commemorative brick to be placed in our largest map of Ireland at the cottage too.

Please no outside food or drink. No outside alcohol allowed. Bags may be subject to inspection.

No dogs allowed except service dogs.

Handicapped parking is available and we are handicapped accessible. The festival is held outside on lawn, paved and gravel areas and undercover of 2 large pavilions and several tents.