The Philadelphia Fleadh – Just Get in the Car

Don’t fear,The Fleadh is here (almost)

Just Get in the Car — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 15:55:49 +0000

If you are like me, you are probably pissed that this coronavirus has been screwing everything up. Kids are home from school, professional sports are being cancelled, and your 401(k) is making it look like you will have to work into your 90s. On top of that, your St. Paddy’s Day plans are probably over. Parades, concerts, parties and pub crawls are being cancelled everywhere. So you will probably be drinking that Guinness by yourself at home. This blows.

You are probably still looking for your Irish fix. Luckily, there is a great Irish event coming up on May 9^th, where you can get all the Irish music, dancing, gifts, and craic you need: The Philadelphia Fleadh! A few days ago, CJ Mills, the organizer of the Fleadh, was nice enough to tell us a bit about himself and the event. But I thought I would tell you why you should join us there this year.

First of all, it is easy to get to. If you are like me, you probably know more about China than Northeast Philly. But for the past few years, they have been hosting the event at the Pennsylvania National Guard Armory right off the PA Turnpike. If it rains, and we have been there when it rains, they can move the entire event inside. That will prevent the rain from watering down your Guinness!

The Fleadh is also family friendly. If your kids aren’t into the music or vendors, they have a kids section as well, with plenty of bounce houses, face painting, and other crafty activities. Our kids always spend most of the day there – but don’t worry, you can still hear the music from there.

If you are worried about the cost – don’t be! This is probably the most affordable all day event I have ever been to. Parking is free, and kids 12 and under are free as well. You will probably want to try some of the food from the food truck and vendors. But if you are on a budget, or if your kid will only eat peanut butter sandwiches, you can bring in your own food and drinks (just not the alcohol kind).

No Irish event would be complete without some frosty beverages. They will sell some Guinness and other beers. Is Irish whiskey more your thing? Raise a glass of Pop’s McCann whiskey while you are there as well.

The best part of the event is the music. This year, they have 13 Irish bands playing on two different stages, and playing all day. You will hear plenty of the classic Irish tunes, Pogues and Dropkick Murphys covers, and even some awesome original stuff. CJ, the event’s founder, will be playing with Seamus & CJ. Most of the bands are local ones, such as The John Byrnes Band, Bogside Rogues, and the Paul Moore Band. But all of the bands are fantastic. Check out the whole list here.

It sucks that the coronavirus is costing us a St. Patrick’s Day this year. But don’t let it kill your Irish spirit. Join our family on May 9^th. By then, we should all be able to toast to good health, listen to some great music, and find some great craic. Slainte!

-Shawn

Getting to know CJ Mills, Philly Fleadh Guy

Just Get in the Car — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 18:21:49 +0000

Since 2013 we have been enjoying The Philadelphia Fleadh with family and friends. We think it is a great event, celebrating all things Irish, music, and fun in the sun (usually). We promote this event every year for a reason – it’s a great day spent listening to awesome music and hanging out with great people. We thought it would be cool to get to know the man behind the annual event, CJ Mills. Read on to learn more about him and how the Fleadh came to be.

Our Irish roots come from County Donegal. Where are your relations from in Ireland, and how did your Irish background help bring about the Fleadh?

My great great grandfather was a fiddle player from Dublin. I have been playing in Irish bands for about 15 years playing in Roundtower, Common Ground, Killen Thyme, and Jamison Celtic Rock. Recently I have been playing with Seamus McGroary who is from County Donegal, and Kevin OShea – who is from County Delco:)

The Fleadh stemmed from the idea to bring all of the amazing talented Irish and Celtic Rock bands in the Philadelphia area together for one great festival. Philly has become one of the greatest music cities in the country, with a very high percentage of Irish Americans, so what better place than to hold a festival celebrating Irish heritage and Irish music.

We have been attending the Fleadh since the first one in back in 2013. Can you tell our readers a little bit about the event and what they are missing out on if they have not attended one yet?

The Philly Fleadh is an all day, family friendly event that has a little bit of something for everyone. The day starts with The Celtic Flame School of Irish Dance’s Feis at the Fleadh where there over 100 dancers competing from 8am – 12pm. The bands start at 11 am and music is non stop back and forth on the two main stages until 8pm. There are also trad sessions, where all musicians are welcome to bring their instruments, Irish Dance performances, where different dance schools highlight their dancers, and other fun cultural activities like the English Language Learners table, Irish Bingo for the kids, and more. The free kids zone has bounce houses, face painting, balloon animals, jumbo jenga and more to keep the little ones occupied. There are also food vendors, irish merchants, and spirits with beer trucks readily accessible at all times and even some whiskey tastings.

Who are some of the performers you have lined up for this year’s Fleadh?

This year we have a great lineup with many returning acts, and some new ones as well featuring the best in Philly. The Philadelphia Irish Music scene is something special, where we are all friends, and all work to support each other. Each band has it’s own following, and can be found playing in the tri-state area at local bars, pubs, AOHs and festivals. The unique concept of this festival, is it gives us all a time to be together at one location. This year’s bands will feature
The John Byrne Band, The Shanty’s, The Bogside Rogues, The Paul Moore Band, Birmingham Six, No Irish Need Apply, Oakwyn, The Natterjacks, Clancy’s Pistol, Killen Clark, Ray Coleman, Mike & Callie and Seamus & CJ. These are by far some of the best entertainers in the area who are also all great people!

You also have some other events throughout the year. What else should our readers look out for in 2020?

The other event that Philly Fleadh productions produces is Celtic Christmas in Bensalem, which is a Christmas show held the first Saturday in December of every year at Bensalem High School’s 1500 seat Performing Arts Center. This show includes a 12 piece band comprised of many different members of different bands that play the Fleadh who all come together for one spectacular performance, as well as dancers from The Celtic Flame School of Irish Dance and The Bucks County Dance Center. Info can be found at CelticChristmasinBensalem.com. Stay tuned to that website, as there will be an announcement for a second show in 2020.

St. Patrick’s Day is coming up. Where do you go to find the best craic in Philly to celebrate?

The Best Craic in Philly is a tough one. There are so many amazing Irish Pubs in the city that all have amazing music. A few of my favorites include Paddy Whacks Irish Sports Pub, who not only has great music in March, but does Irish Saturdays from 3-7 all year long. The Ashburner is a great place and also does Irish music every Sunday afternoon year round. Curran’s Irish Inn is always a great choice in Bensalem or Tacony, The Green Parrot also does the Newtown Irish Festival the week leading up to St. Patrick’s day, and Con Murphys in Center City has great music Thurs. to Sunday, and they just opened a bar in Fort Lauderdale as well where Seamus McGroary and I will be traveling to play Mon, Tues and Wed of St. Patrick’s Week.

What is your favorite Irish whiskey?

My favorite Irish whiskey is absolutely Pop McCanns. Founder Jason Fogg is a local guy from Philly who has been working his butt off to get it on shelves all over the area, and it is an amazing product. One day we will all be saying that we know that guy! Pops is also one of the Fleadh sponsors, and it will be featured at the Fleadh, both for sale, and for some free whiskey tastings.

What are some of the bands and songs we should be listening to in order to prepare for St. Paddy’s Day and the Fleadh?

Bands to listen to…..look at the above list. Supporting local live music is one of the most important things anyone can do. All of the bands playing the Philly Fleadh are excellent and are playing all over Philly in the month of March. Check them out on social media and go support local live music!

-Kristin and Shawn

Good Craic at The Philadelphia Fleadh

Just Get in the Car — Wed, 01 May 2019 17:40:53 +0000

What is better than outdoor events in the springtime? This time of year is great for cookouts, ballgames, and just sitting in the backyard. One of our crew’s favorite events each spring is the Philadelphia Fleadh. The Fleadh is an all day festival of Irish music, food, and craic (that’s Irish for a good time!). We have been going to this event since it started in 2013, and have brought more of our friends and family each year we go.

Just Get in the Car will be generously hosted at this year’s Fleadh, however, our opinions are 100% our own!

This year’s event is at the National Guard Armory in Northeast Philly on May 11^th, from 11 AM to 8 PM. Afraid the rain will ruin the day? Don’t be! They always have a rain plan, with plenty of tents, and indoor options in case the weather gets really bad. A few years ago, we attended a Fleadh in the pouring rain, and had a blast. They setup an intimate acoustic session inside, and used the tents to cover up the beer tent lines – a major priority for any Irish event!

The biggest and best part of the event is the Irish music. The Fleadh brings together some of the best traditional Irish and Celtic Rock bands from the area. The John Byrne Band, Bogside Rogues, and the Paul Moore Band are some of our favorites from years past. In addition to them, you can enjoy the music of the Birmingham Six, Gaelic Mishap, No Irish Need Apply, The Kilted Rogues, Shenanigans, Oakwyn, Killen, Clark and Kane, Ray Coleman and Gathering. You may not be seeing the Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, the Pogues or Dubliners, but a lot of these bands are influenced by them, so you probably still hear some familiar tunes and also discover something new.

There are three stages of bands, so no matter where you are on the grounds, you can hear one of the acts. Are you a musician yourself? Bring your instruments, and sit in on one of the Trad sessions, and jam out with some new friends and lovers of Irish music.

The Fleadh is also a family friendly event. Got kids? Bring them along! They will probably love the bounce houses and face painting as much as our guys do. They spent hours bouncing around, playing, meeting new friends, watching the Irish dance competition, and even listening to the music. And best of all – kids 12 and under get in free!

Like all these events, there will be plenty of food and beer vendors. So you can find yourself some Irish fare like Shepard’s Pie or Fish and Chips, or some more American fare like burgers and chicken fingers. Beer vendors will also be there – and unlike most music venues, this one does not gouge you with beer pricing.

If you are looking for gifts or swag, there are also plenty of vendors. Thanks to the kids, we have bubble guns, stuffed green dogs, and light up wands all over the place. But there are also vendors selling plenty of other Irish stuff you may like – jewelry, shirts, family histories, maps, etc.

One of the best parts of the Fleadh is the price. For a full day event, tickets are $20 online right now, and only $25 at the gate. For that price, you get a full day out with some great music, family activities, food, beer, and craic.

So pack a lawn chair, some bottles of water, and bring the family up for what we think is the best Irish event in Philadelphia. The Just Get in the Car crew will be there representing County Delco in our County Clare kilt (even though a DNA test recently told us we are from Donegal). So what are you waiting for? Get online, buy some tickets and meet us there!