Your Unofficial Guide to Iowa Irish Fest 2025
Iowa's biggest celebration of Irish culture is coming up this weekend! We've got everything you need to know about Iowa Irish Fest in Waterloo in 2025, a 3-day festival draws in around 50,000 people each year!
When/Where is It?
Iowa Irish Fest will take place in Lincoln Park and around Downtown Waterloo from Friday, August 1st through Sunday, August 3rd. The festival hours are:
- Friday, August 1st from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Saturday, August 2nd from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Sunday, August 3rd from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where Do I Park?
The Iowa Irish Fest website says that parking is available on any of the side streets outside of the festival grounds, but you can also park in the parking ramp on Park Ave. In addition, "paid parking is available in the East Side Parking Ramp located on E. Park Ave after 5pm on Friday and all day Saturday & Sunday. Paid parking is also located behind the Elks Lodge building at E. Park & Mulberry."
If you'd rather avoid the parking situation in Downtown Waterloo, you also have the option to park offsite and ride one of the free shuttles to the festival. The shuttle hours are:
- Friday, August 1st from 4:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
- Saturday, August 2nd from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
- Sunday, August 3rd from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Here are the three different shuttle schedules for the weekend:
- Green Bus
- Two buses to run every 25 to 30 minutes
- Stops
- Days Inn & Suites, La Porte Rd
- Hampton Inn, La Porte Rd
- Fairfield Inn, La Porte Rd
- Isle Casino & Hotel
- White Bus
- 1 bus to run every 25 to 30 minutes
- Pick up at a Park-n-Ride, 100 block of Lincoln & Greeley Streets in Cedar Falls (adjacent to Gateway Park)
- Orange Bus
- 1 bus to run every 15 to 20 minutes
- Stops
- Courtyard Marriott, Westfield Ave
- 4th Street & Washington Street (city parking under 218 overpass)
How Much is it to Get In?
Wristbands for Irish Fest 2025 are $35 (plus fees), with children under 15 getting in for free with the admission of a paid adult. The wristbands are good for all three days of the festival, so be sure to leave them on if you plan to return another time. Veterans and first responders can get in for just $20 with identification. You can get your tickets online HERE.
What Am I Not Allowed to Bring In?
First of all, there are no pets allowed at Irish Fest, with the exception of service animals. There is also no smoking within festival grounds. Items you can't bring into the festival include coolers, outside food, fireworks, firearms/weapons, drones, cans/glass bottles, selfie sticks, wagons/carts, skates/skateboards/bikes, and unauthorized solicitation materials. Check out a full list of prohibited items HERE.
What Are the Rules Involving Alcohol?
Although Irish Fest is an open-container environment, there are some rules involving alcoholic beverages. First of all, all alcoholic beverages must be purchased at the festival or at businesses within festival grounds. You will NOT be permitted to bring in your own drinks.
If you plan to purchase alcohol, you are required to show your photo ID for an alcohol wristband before you'll be allowed to do so. You can then buy beer tokens for $6 each at any of the kiosks around the festival grounds. Tokens can be purchased with cash or card. You can also purchase drinks directly from the beer booth, but with card ONLY.
Here are the drinks available at the 2025 event:
What About Food?
There will be plenty of different foods available at one of the many vendor booths, which are located right next to Lincoln Park on Mulberry St. The only payment that these food vendors will accept are Irish Fest Bucks. Your options are:
- VENDORS
If you'd prefer to dine indoors, there are a number of local businesses within the festival grounds that also serve food. The list includes:
- Bootleggers Kitchen & Bar
- Con Amor Bakery & Cafe
- El Patron Mexican Restaurant
- Elk's #290
- Hungry Charlie's Lunchbox Deli
- Macarons by Sani
- Morg's Diner
- Newton's Paradise Cafe
- The Savvy Bean
- Screaming Eagle American Bar & Grill
- Try Pie Bakery
READ MORE: The Top-Rated Places to Eat in Waterloo & Cedar Falls [GALLERY]
What Are Some of the Activities on the Schedule?
There are all sorts of games, demonstrations, classes, family activities, and more happening throughout the three-day festival. Here's a rundown of some of the big events:
- Celtic Cruise Motorcycle Ride
- Begins at Silver Eagle Harley Davidson/Yamaha
- Sunday August 3rd at 10 a.m.
- Cost is $40 per rider
- Classes/Workshops
- Cultural Village
- E. 4th St between Sycamore and Lafayette
- Features
- Axe Throwing (Hurling Hatchets)
- Blacksmithing Demos (Lucky Clover Forge, Double Anvil Forge, & Uncle Stinky)
- Dillon’s Pub (local and international solo musical acts)
- Art Gallery & DKW "Live Art" Gallery
- Haunted Ireland Display
- Spinners and Weaver’s Guild
- Family Fun & Learning Area
- Corner of E. 4th St and Mulberry St
- Hours
- Friday, August 1st from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Saturday, August 2nd from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Sunday, August 3rd from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Featuring inflatables, face painting, balloon art, a rock wall, arts & crafts, and more
- High Nelly Bike Rally
- Starting location/post-ride party behind Anton’s Garden
- Saturday, August 2nd at 9 a.m.
- Register online HERE
- Highland Games
- Lincoln Park
- Friday, August 1st from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Practice/Demonstrations
- Saturday, August 2nd from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Competitions
- Game List
- Caber Toss
- Irish Hurling
- Sheaf Toss
- Stone Put
- Scottish Hammer Throw
- Weight Throw
- Weight Over the Bar
- Mass
- Lincoln Park
- Sunday, August 3rd at 10 a.m.
- All denominations/faiths are welcome
- Bringing a lawn chair is recommended
- ShamRock N’ Run 5K
- Race begins at the corner of Park Ave and Mulberry St near Main Gate 1
- Saturday, August 2nd at 9 a.m.
- Register online HERE
- Sheep Herding
- Lincoln Park
- Sunday, August 3rd from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
What About Entertainment?
There are multiple stages with live entertainment at Iowa Irish Fest, with both national and international acts. This year's headliners are Skerryvore on Friday and Doolin’ on Saturday and Sunday! You can check out some of the other acts HERE.
Here are the locations of all seven outdoor and the two indoor stages:
- Nagle/KWWL Stage (Main Stage) - Lincoln Park
- Lincoln Savings Bank Stage - Lafayette St in front of the parking ramp
- Trad Music Stage - Mulberry St near the BankIowa building
- Dillon’s Pub Stage - E. 4th Street in front of the Savvy Bean and Hungry Charlie's
- Family Fun Stage - Sycamore St off of E. 4th St near Newton's Park
- Jameson’s Stage - Inside of Bootleggers Kitchen & Bar on E. 4th St (former Jameson's Public House)
- Hero’s Stage - Mulberry St and E. Park Ave
- Elks Ballroom - Inside of the Elks Lodge on E. Park Ave
- Beverage Experience Street Stage - Near Lincoln Park on E. 4th St (Beverage Street)
For a full schedule of events and a festival map, visit the official Irish Fest website HERE. You can also download the official Iowa Irish Fest app for more information.
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