Festival Guide

Vancouver’s annual celebration of Celtic culture returns March 7-17th 2025 with our 21st festival, but this year will be different. After hugely successful festivals for the last three years in downtown Vancouver, CelticFest Vancouver, a not-for-profit organization, can no longer fund its growth.

The headline event on Sunday March 16th will feature Irish acoustic folk-rock band, Hermitage Green at the Vogue Theatre, and a Family Day event will be held in East Vancouver on Saturday March 15th featuring art, music, dance, and tin whistle workshops for kids along with food trucks, bouncy castles and face painting fun!

Other events throughout the week include the What’s the Craic, an Irish themed variety show, local comedian Amy Walsh will host an Irish comedy show headlined by Aaron McCann, chef Donal Hughes is preparing a live cooking demonstration of Irish favourites with a modern twist and the Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir will return along with the annual Ceilidh.

“We’re disappointed we’re not able to host the same downtown festival Vancouverites and visitors have come to expect,” shares Alan Cosgrave, Vice President of the CelticFest Vancouver Board. “We received less funding from traditional sources than previous years and in the current economic climate sponsorships weren’t able to cover the extensive costs a large scale event carries. We are extremely grateful to our generous sponsors, particularly Irish owned Whelan Construction and Four Lakes Mechanical who have come on board this year to make this reimagined event possible.”