My family wants to go to the fest on Saturday morning and stay through Monday morning. Can anyone who has been to the pravious fests help us out with best places to stay for the money and convience to the fest?
We are coming from Iowa…so the drive is just a hop skip and a jump for us! Can’t wait to see Gaelic Storm and Flook!!
Thanks for the help fellow Chiffers!!
Dave Vaughn
Downtown Milwaukee is the best place to stay as far as convenience to the fest grounds. Unfortunately, most of the places there are booked and those that aren’t seem to be charging a premium price ($200+ per night). I just did a quick search on Orbitz, so it is possible better deals/more rooms may be found with a little more work.
But Milwaukee is a fairly easy city to get around in and there are more hotels a little further away for a decent rate. Staying near the airport would be fairly convenient if you can get something there.
I hope this is a little helpful to you!
Beth
Dave -
I’m probably going to be staying in Brookfield on that weekend. There’s some decent deals on Hotwire. Brookfield is west of Milwaukee but it’s a pretty easy drive into downtown on I-94, especially on a weekend. The airport area would probably be OK too. If you are planning on going back and forth to the hotel during the day you’re probably better off with downtown, but you’ll pay a premium.
Rando7…Please check your PM’s…I had a couple of questions about the Hotwire thing…2 possibilites…but seems kinda risky to me?..tell me what you think…I have 2 kids and a wife to think about for accomodations.
Thanks!
Hey Davev,
I’m staying at 1-800-723-8280. About a 10 minute drive in other than Friday afternoon traffic. The name of the place last year was Manchester Suite Hotels…the name’s different this year but the deal is still a good one. $78 per night (+tax etc.) for a suite. Big bed and couch that makes into a nice bed. Coffee in the room, a small ice box. Free breakfast in the morning. When I asked about AARP discount they knocked it down to $68. I don’t think you’ll beat the deal very many places for that weekend.
Hey Beth,
I never got around to responding to the other post. I’m in the midst of a move and I’m not tracking all the time. Got get moved so I go on vacation.
I still want to meet whistlers and flautists (gotta love the word). Why don’t we pick a time like we did last year and do it. Beth even if I don’t see you on Saturday, let’s find a time to connect another time. It’ll be good to see you again and share some whistles.
see y’all there
Hey guys, a good friend of mine from language school is probably going to be working at the fest. She goes to the university of Milwaukee, studying Irish. She’s kinda short, has glasses and her name is Jenny. She likes to dance. If you see her tell her Beth says hi!
Dave,
Where in Iowa are you coming from. I live in the Southwest corner of the state, in Clarinda. Hope to make connections with you sometime during the festival.
You do know, I hope, that if you bring canned goods to the Mass on Sunday morning you get in free after the service. It was nice last year and the food goes to a good cause.
take care
jim
Hey Beth,
The picture of your concerina has me drooling. If you weren’t such a nice person, I would accuse you of being cruel. When will you be back in the states?
jim
Sept 9th. There’s a rumor of some sort of non-celtic-fest event in COlorado that month. Whatever it is, I’ll be there, so check with Mack to see if anything is going on!
Hey Jim,
I’d love to meet up with you again at the fest too - I think I should be able to be there by, say, 4 PM - do you want to set a meet time at 4 Saturday? Or I should be there on Sunday as well - good Lord willing and the creeks don’t rise - would it be better to set a time for Sunday? Let me know.
I definitely think meeting by the Celtic Cross in the Cultural Area is the best place to meet -
(the other) Beth
I just felt I had to bump this thread.
Let’s see - Milwaukee Irish Festival
Chiff & Fipplers at the Celtic Cross
4 PM Saturday
Did I get it right
I’ll be there.
jim
We are going to be there on Saturday!! We are going to be staying with my Grandmother in WestAllis. That equals cheap!!
I was wondering…?? What does it cost to get in? What about the eats and such? Anyone remember?
Are there any workshops or anything like that with the whistle?
One last one…Is this a good time to trade, purchase whistles and stuff?,
You know..get a GOOD deal on whistles you normally can’t find..whink, whink, nuge, nuge!!
See you there!!!
Dave
As far as cost to get in, it’s around $10 or so. Some years we’ve lucked out and people have handed free tickets to get in as we approach the gate. If you park on the Fest grounds it’s another $5-$10 bucks. The food is mostly typical festival food, with a few Irish “specialties” thrown in (there is a fish and chips place that’s pretty good). Also Chinese, Italian…the fried eggplant is a Milwaukee Festival favorite. Like most festivals, it’s all overpriced, but what can you do? The beer flows freely of course, this is Milwaukee, but the one major flaw of Irish Fest is no Guinness. I think it has something to do with Miller.
There aren’t any workshops at the fest, because there’s the weeklong school beforehand. As far as buying/selling/trading whistles, there certainly are some, but fortunately only having very mild WhOA myself I don’t know how much is available in that respect.
It’s a very clean and well-operated fest, they know festivals in Milwaukee. Can’t wait to see everyone!
Beth
Hey Dave,
the website is: www.irishfest.com
I copied and pasted the following from the website:
Admission
Thursday [Hooley Night] is $5. Sneak a peek at the entertainers new to Irish Fest at four of the 16 stages. Get a head start on shopping, and dance the night away. [Not all areas will be open.]
Friday, Saturday & Sunday is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors 60 years and older [at the gate only], free for children 12 and under.
Free Admission Friday at all gates between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m.
Hours
Thursday - 5:00 to 10:00 p.m.
Friday - 4:00 p.m. to midnight
Saturday - noon to midnight
Sunday - 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Bring food, get in free!
The Liturgy for Peace and Justice will be take place Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the Marcus Amphitheater at the south end of the grounds. Bring nonperishable food items to the Mass and receive free entry to the festival after the Liturgy!
Note that you can get in free between 4 and 5 on Friday and if you bring canned goods for the pantry on Sunday morning when they have the liturgy you get in just for the price of whatever you bring in food ( we try not to be too cheap since its for a good cause)
Besides Abells and composite Burkes, Syn, Water weasels, Overton F and Low D for others to try, I’ll have a few for sale or trade (maybe) or just to try…Busman, Thin Weasel (the “Black Weasel”), a no name wooden C that’s pretty nice, a Ti Coomb Rosewood C, Tuffbag whistle case, a couple of bamboo flutes (not Olwell), Gm/F#m Amon Olorin NA flute, Casey Burns Blackwood flute and if anyone is interested a 20" Halpin Bodhran although it will probably be in the car along with G and low D crystal flutes.
When I get home from vacation I’ll be putting them up for sale here on the forum with some others. I’m determined to reduce the number of whistles, drums and flutes in order to get the money for a nicer wooden flute.
See y’all at the cross around 4 on Saturday. If we want to meet later we’ll plans from there.
jim