PITTSBURGH IRISH FESTIVAL

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Pittsburgh Irish Festival FAQs

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Admission

• Hours:
  • Friday: 4:00pm - midnight
  • Saturday: 11:00am - midnight
  • Sunday: 9:00am - 6:00pm

• Ticket Prices (at gate, or in advance at www.pghirishfest.org)
  • Adults: $10 advance / $12 at the gate
  • Seniors (60+) and Students (w/ ID): $8:00
  • Military Active/Retired (w/ ID): $5:00
  • Public Safety Officers (w/ID): $5.00
  • Children (12 and under): Free

• Special Admission
  • Friday: $3, 4:00pm - 6:00pm, ages 13+
  • Friday: $5, 6:00pm - 8:00pm, with college ID
  • Call 412-422-1113 for Group Discounts

ATM
There are various ATM locations on site.

Alcohol and Beverage Sales
There are various locations on site to purchase beverage tickets and beverages.
Beverages include Pepsi products, water, assorted spirits, Coffee, Irish Coffee, Irish tea, and lemony iced tea.

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Bathrooms
Located throughout the site, including wheelchair accessible facilities and hand-washing stations.

Beverage Tickets
See Alcohol and Beverage Sales

Beverage Tastings!

Never tried an Irish Whiskey?  Wondered how it was made?  Look no further than the Whiskey Tasting at this year’s Pittsburgh Irish Festival! This year’s tastings will take place throughout weekend in the Whiskey Snug.  Tickets for the tastings can be purchased with cash or credit card at the ticket booth, located across from the Whiskey Snug.  Advanced purchase is required for all tastings, so get your tickets early in the day, as seating is limited.

Whiskey Tastings: $20
Friday: 5:30 and 8:30 p.m.
Saturday: 1, 4 and 7 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m.

Beer Tastings: $14
Guests will be guided through an educational beer sampling. Learn the tasting of diverse brews, information on the brewing process, ingredients and style differentiation.
Friday: 7:00 p.m.
Saturday: 5:30 and 8:30 p.m.
Sunday: 2:30

Bingo
Bring your daubers and good luck charms as you try your hand at Blarney Bingo!

Blankets
Blankets are permitted on the festival grounds.

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Camping
There is no on-site camping. Go to VisitPittsburgh.com for nearby camping facilities.

Chairs
You are welcome to bring your own chairs to the event!

Children's Activities
Children's Irish Arts and Crafts for our wee folk! Take home a hand-made souvenir, enjoy an Irish story, sing-a-long, Irish games and even dance an Irish Jig!

Coolers
No coolers are permitted on the festival grounds.

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Dance Lessons
See entertainment schedule for dance lessons and performances.

Dogs
No pets are admitted on the festival grounds. Only registered participating Irish dogs and service dogs are permitted inside the festival.

Directions
Check out the directions page for more information.

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Entertainment
See the entertainment page for a complete description of the Pittsburgh Irish Festival's 2011 performers.

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Facebook
Join us on Facebook to get insider information about the festival! 

Family
Join us for your family reunion! Have a place to call your own for the day! Call 412-422-1113 for more information.

Festival Merchandise
Available at our official festival merchandise booth and online.

Food
Feast on mouthwatering Irish cuisine at all of our Irish Food booths and enjoy a sampling of Celtic beverages at our Tara Tea Tent. Menu items are located on our Food page online.

Fireworks
No fireworks are permitted.

First Aid
Certified first aid on site staffed by UPMC.

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Group Rates
Group ticket prices are available. Call 412-422-1113 for more information.

Genealogy
Discover your Irish Family Tree in our Genealogy Pavilion!

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Handicap Parking
Conveniently located near the festival entrance.

Handicap Restrooms
See Bathrooms.

Hotels
This year’s host hotel is the Wyndham Grand Downtown Pittsburgh! 600 Commonwealth Place, Pittsburgh, Pa 15222 412-391-4600.

The Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown is offering a Special Festival
Rate of $124. Call the toll-free number 1.888.317.0197 and mention the
Pittsburgh Irish Festival. SPACE IS LIMITED!
**Reservations must be made by Friday, August 24th.**

Hours
Friday, Sept 9 - 4:00 pm - 12 midnight
Saturday, Sept 10 - 11:00 am - 12 midnight
Sunday, Sept 11 - 9:00 am - 6:00 pm

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Information Booth
Located at the festival entrance and in the food pavilion for your convenience.

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Jig

Learn how to do one! See Dance Lessons.
 

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Kids’ Activities
See children’s activities.

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Location
Riverplex at Sandcastle! 1000 Sandcastle Drive, West Homestead, PA 15120. 

Lost Children
If your child becomes separated from you contact any Irish Festival staff member or on-site security immediately.

Lost and Found
Located at the Information booth.

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Mailing List
Click here to join our mailing list.

Maps
See Directions.

Mass
Our Gaelic Mass is on Sunday, September 9th at 10 AM.  Celebrated by Father Sean Kealy, C.S.SP. and Father Naos McCool, C.S.SP. of Duquesne University.

Media
Contact nkrushinski@comcast.net for more information.

Money
See ATM.

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No-Smoking
No smoking is allowed under any tents, pavilions, or in any buildings at the festival.

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On-Site
Guides will be available at the festival entrance.

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Parking
Plenty of parking is available for $6.

Parking will be located throughout Sandcastle Waterpark with free shuttle transportation at designated points. Parking and directional signs will guide you to the appropriate parking locations. No Festival parking will be available at the Costco lot. Vehicles that are parked in the Costco lot may be subject to be towed at the owner’s expense.

Participants
Must have ticket for entrance. Participants can contact their area coordinator for more information.

Pets
See dogs. No unregistered pets are permitted on-site.  Service animals are permitted.

Performers 
See the Entertainment Page for more information.

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Questions

Contact us at pghirishfestival@gmail.com for general questions.

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Raffles
Purchase your raffle ticket to enter the drawing for a trip for two to Ireland!

Rainbow Kitchen
Where all surplus festival food gets donated :)

Re-Entry
Same day re-entry is available excluding Friday Happy Hour entrants.

Restrooms
See bathrooms.

Reunions
Have a place to call your own! Let us host your family, school, company, etc. reunion at the festival. Private tents provided. Fore more information, contact mairin.petrone@gmail.com or 412-422-1113.

RV Parking
RV Parking is available

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Seating
Plenty of seating is available but feel free to bring blankets and chairs.

Security
The safety and security of our guests is paramount to the Irish Festival.
Please carefully review the following security measures and restrictions so that your visit to the Pittsburgh Irish Festival and Riverplex at Sandcastle can be a most enjoyable experience:

· Individuals visiting the Festival will be subject to personal belongings, bags, and purse checks

· Open bottles of water and soda are not permitted to be brought into the Festival

· Outside alcohol will not be permitted to be brought into the Festival. The Festival will be serving alcohol

· No firearms, weapons, explosives, or incendiary devices will be permitted at the Pittsburgh Irish Festival

· Vehicles that are illegally parked will be towed at the owner’s expense

Questions related to security should be directed to the Sandcastle Public Safety Department, a unit of State Security & Investigation Services, Inc (SSIS) at 412-462-6666, extension 6330.

Seniors
Senior discounts available! See admission.

Shuttles
Continuous shuttles from festival entrance for your convenience. Check the Directions page for more shuttle info!

Souvenirs
Shop for Irish gifts at the Irish Marketplace. Guaranteed Irish, we feature over 30 specialty booths.

Sunday Services
See Mass.

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Tents
Provided for Reunions! See Reunions.

Tickets
See Admission.

Times
See Admission.

Twitter
Follow us! @PittsburghIrish

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U are welcome to join us!  Hope you can make it!  Bring a friend or two!

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Vendors

Contact sue_kopa@hotmail.com for more information.

Volunteers

See our volunteer page to learn about volunteer opportunities.

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Wheelchairs
Unfortunately wheelchairs are NOT provided but the festival is wheelchair accessible.

Whiskey Tastings

See Beverage Tastings.

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X-Treme
The Irish Extreme, for young adults, allows for Irish cornhole, Irish Dance Dance Revolution, Irish Guitar Hero, and more!

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YouTube
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for exclusive videos!

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Zephyr
A gentle, light breeze coming off of the Mon River to cool our beautiful Irish atmosphere.

Zero Waste
This year we are working with the Pittsburgh Resources Council and Zero Waste Pittsburgh to make our festival even greener! We will be recycling bottles, cans, program books, leftover food and used cooking oil! For more information call 412-422-1113.

The Pittsburgh Irish Festival is also very proud to donate all surplus food items to the Rainbow Kitchen!