On Arthur’s Day, September 27, music headliners and local artists will celebrate the anniversary of the Guinness Brewery with performances in pubs across Ireland. Notable names include Amy MacDonald, Fatboy Slim, Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Primal Scream, and Mumford and Sons among others.

Don’t worry about missing some of these great acts if you’re not in Ireland. Eight Arthur's Day TV specials featuring some of the headline acts and new talent will be recorded in pubs in Cork, Dublin, and Belfast. Each performance will be televised and put up on YouTube.

This year, Guinness will donate €5 for each Facebook check-in to one of the free events. Proceeds will go to the Arthur Guinness Fund, which helps social entrepreneurs make an impact on communities in Ireland and worldwide.

The first Arthur’s Day was on September 24, 2009, which was the 250th anniversary of the signing for the St. James Gate of Guinness Brewery in the center of Dublin. More than 30 venues in Dublin held events ranging from gigs in small pubs to a concert outside of the St. James Gate.

Notable music acts performing across Ireland included The Black Eyed Peas, Sir Tom Jones, and David Gray. Even at its founding, Arthur’s Day was an international phenomena. More than 5,000 bars and pubs across the United States hosted events to celebrate and participate in a global toast to Arthur at 17:59 pm (5:59 EST time).

Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000 year lease on the Guinness Brewery in 1759. Ten years later, the first exportation of Guinness, a shipment of six and a half barrels, was shipped to England. Arthur Guinness died in 1803 and in the decades following his death, Guinness was exported around the world and the trademark harp logo was adopted in 1862. From there Guinness continued to travel the world and remains a popular drink with 10 million glasses enjoyed every day in 2007.
Cheers!