This festival celebrates Irish heritage through music, poetry, dancing, singing and even spud picking! The event is held annually in late April in the historic village of Koroit, located between Warrnambool and Port Fairy and nestled on the northern slopes of the extinct volcano Tower Hill.
Live music is featured at locations through the town whilst a hive of market activity and more music emanates from over 100 stalls and six stages set up along the main street. Be entertained by the many street performers or browse the arts and crafts. Kids are catered for with a variety of children's activities and entertainment.
The 2008 Koroit Irish Festival will be on Sat 26th April
Gates open 9:30 am
Stages start 10:00 am
Tickets are available on the day
Adults $10, Family $25, Concession/Secondry School age $7, Primary School age and below FREE.
Entrants in this year's Danny Boy National Championship will be selected for the final according to last year's format, ie. heats will be run on the day of the Festival with a judging panel determining who moves into the final later that evening.
Danny Boy Heats: Koroit Theatre 11am and the Commercial Hotel 2pm.
The finalists will meet at the Koroit Theatre where the champion will be decided. The concert including the final will start immediately after the street re-opens, ie. after the street stages close about 5:30 pm.
The Koroit theatre kicks off at 11 am with the first Danny Boy heats, then follows at midday with the return to the Koroit Irish Festival of Maria Forde and Denis O'Keefe
Patrons are invited to move to the theatre at around 5pm for the start. Bring along your fold-up FOLKIE chair so that you are comfortable, there will be no tables and chairs provided - there is no need to book or no extra cost, your entrance fee on the day allows you to attend the Danny Boy Final and concert.
Entertainment kicks off with acts followed by the headline artists prior to the Danny Boy Final itself. The concert and final should be wrapped up by around 7:30pm. This will give everyone the opportunity to grab a bite to eat and then kick-on at the other venues.
For those who want to sing along, here are the words to the famous ballad!
Oh, Danny Boy the pipes, the pipes are calling From glen to glen, and down the mountain side. The summer's gone, and all the roses falling, It's you, it's you must go, and I must bide. But come ye back when summer's in the meadow, Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow. It's I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow, Oh Danny Boy, oh Danny Boy, I love you so!
But when ye come, and all the flow'rs are dying, And if I'm dead, as dead I well may be. Ye'll come and find the place where I am lying, And kneel and say an Ave there for me. And I shall hear though soft you tread above me, And though my grave shall, warmer, sweeter be. For you will bend and tell me that you love me, And I will sleep in peace until you come to me.
MARKET STALLS
A feature of the Koroit Irish Festival is the presence of a large range of market stalls, selling everything from jewellery, crafts, food, antiques, collectables and so on. The stalls will align the main street and if you are interested in having a stall at this year's Koroit Irish Festival you can contact the Market Stall Coordinators who will advise of availability and send you the necessary application and requirements information or you can download the PDF Application Form.
For information you should apply in writing to:- Koroit Irish Festival Inc - Stalls & Catering, PO Box 187, Koroit VIC 3282
In relation to food stalls, where possible we limit to one or two of each type of food stall to avoid duplication so that all tastes are catered for. Food stalls are subject to tender and the highest tender is not necessarily the successful applicant.
General inquiries on market stalls call Kerry Lee 03 5562 7030 or Diane 03 5562 2695 at Hillside Markets or email lava@datafast.net.au
OUR SPONSORS
The organising Committee greatly appreciate the generous support of sponsors of the Koroit Irish Festival without these sponsors the Festival could not continue. Anyone interested in supporting the Koroit Irish Festival is invited to contact our Sposorship Coodinator Tim Mahoney on 5565 8102.
Moyne Shire Powercor ANZ Bank Daly's IGA Mickey Bourke's Koroit Hotel Commercial Hotel Koroit Koroit Newsagency and Tattslotto Koroit Post Office McCosh Builders South West Tafe The Standard Fosters Guinness Ann Johnson @ Ray White Real Estate Izzy's Restaurant Bar and Grill, Koroit Tony White's Carpet Court Bryan and Peterson Homes ACE Radio 3YB/Coast FM Murray Goulburn Co-Operative Co Ltd Fonterra Australia Pty Ltd Koroit Country Bakehouse
CONTACT US
Koroit Irish Festival Incorporated PO Box 187, Koroit VIC 3282 Phone 03 5565 8155 Email koroitirishfestival@bigpond.com
The 2008 Koroit Irish Festival will be on 26th April,2008. The Koroit Irish festival began in 1997 and has since grown to a fun, energetic celebration of the town`s traditional Irish heritage.
This festival celebrates Irish heritage through music, poetry, dancing, singing and even spud picking! The event is held annually in late April in the historic village of Koroit, located between Warrnambool and Port Fairy and nestled on the northern slopes of the extinct volcano Tower Hill. 
