The City of Hoboken invites all residents and visitors to the 3rd Annual Irish Cultural Festival on Saturday, June 7th from noon to 6pm at Sinatra Park, located on the Hoboken waterfront near 4th Street. The event is free and features Irish music, food, beer, vendors, dance, sports, and other activities for all ages.
"Hoboken has a long and storied history as a destination for generations of Irish to call home," stated Steve Lenox, Co-President of Irish Network USA. "As Irish Network USA, through our NJ chapter, continues to seek ways to further strengthen bonds between the US and Ireland, Irish and Irish American communities like the one that still exists in Hoboken play a key role. We are excited to be part of this Festival and look forward to celebrating our shared love for Ireland in this way."
Participants interested in competing in the Irish soda bread competition should contact Geri Fallo at gfallo@hobokennj.gov or 201-420-2207.
The festival will feature musical performances by McLean Avenue Band and local favorites Gold n Brown. There will be dance performances by the Garden Street Irish Step Dancers and Emerald Fire and Kerri Smith Academy of Irish Dance.
At noon, the City will celebrate the completion of the reconstruction of Sinatra Field with a friendly “Irish” vs. “Italian” soccer match, and the Hoboken Guards Hurling Club will put Ireland’s 3000-year-old pastime—the world’s fastest, most skilled field sport—on display during an inter-squad exhibition match for area residents to enjoy.
Hurling was played on St. Patrick’s Day in 1858 on the same baseball-born Elysian Fields in Hoboken by immigrant survivors of the famine from County Kerry, Ireland, who lived in the Five Points region of New York City.
Hoboken Guards will also lead a fun, hands-on youth and first-time hurler clinic for attendees -- males and females of all ages and cultures. Officially licensed club gear and game equipment will be among the top prizes for the on-field “Longest Strike” and “Fastest Lad/Lady Across the Field” competitions at the newly renovated Sinatra Field on the Hudson River.
The event will also feature sheep shearing demonstrations, fiber spinning, and vendors with Irish clothing and crafts.
For children, the event will include face painting, craft activities, pony rides, a petting zoo, trackless train, horse drawn carriage, moonwalk, sand art, balloon artist, and obstacle course.
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