(WXYZ) — The 15th annual Motor City Irish Fest is bringing Irish heritage to life this weekend at Greenmead Historical Park in Livonia, featuring traditional music, cultural exhibits, and a strong sense of community.
The festival, organized entirely by volunteers since its beginning, offers more than 40 vendors, 18 bands, whiskey tasting and various activities celebrating Irish culture.
"I honestly love it because of the community, you know, you're walking down this road and you see everyone, everybody's waving to you, everybody wants to say hi, everyone's friendly, and a lot of the Irish history too. You can learn a lot in our cultural tent over there," said Marissa Branigan, an 18-year-old volunteer at the festival.
Branigan, who helps with greeting visitors, cargo handling, and setting up tents, chairs and banners, takes pride in her role preserving Irish traditions.
"Honestly, it makes me proud to know that I'm doing the same as people before me have," Branigan said.
From its humble beginnings in a parking lot, the festival has grown significantly over the years. Peggy Gray, one of the original volunteers who has been organizing the event since its inception, has witnessed this evolution firsthand.
"It's been an amazing adventure. We went from a parking lot, as you probably know, to Greenmead," Gray said.
When asked about how the festival has changed over time, Gray was enthusiastic about its growth.
"It's gotten just bigger and better," Gray said.
For many participants, the festival provides a connection to their heritage. Despite never having visited Ireland, Branigan values the cultural immersion the festival provides.
"It's really important to me because it keeps me close to my heritage even though I've never been to Ireland. I've been around all the people and like the culture in here for so many years, and it's just really important to me to keep it close like to my roots," Branigan said.
For Branigan, Irish heritage represents "a lot of strength ... but also knowing how to celebrate and have fun."
The festival, which is expected to draw around 5,000 attendees throughout the weekend, concludes Sunday at 7 p.m.
To learn more visit: https://motorcityirishfest.com/.
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