Everything You Need to Know For Iowa Irish Fest 2026 [LIST]

The biggest Irish celebration in the Hawkeye State is coming up this weekend! The 20th annual Iowa Irish Fest takes place in Downtown Waterloo from July 31st through August 2nd. Here's a rundown of important information about the 2026 event:

Courtlin

Tickets/Admission

Tickets for Iowa Irish Fest are $40 and get you a wristband that is valid for all three days of the festival (admission for Sunday ONLY is $30). Children 15 and under are free with a paid adult. Advance tickets can be purchased online HERE, but you can also buy them at any of the festival gates during the event. Credit cards are accepted at all gates.

Admission hours for Iowa Irish Fest in 2026 are:

• Friday, July 31st - 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Saturday, August 1st - 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• Sunday, August 2nd - 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Here are the locations of the four entrance gates you can access the festival from:

• Gate 1: E. Park Avenue between Lafayette & Mulberry
• Gate 2: Mulberry & E. 4th Street
• Gate 3: Lafayette & E. 4th Street
• Gate 4: Sycamore & E. 4th Street

You can view the entire festival map HERE.

Courtlin

Parking/Shuttles

Free parking is available on the side streets outside of the festival grounds and in the parking ramp on Park Avenue. Paid parking is available in the East Side Parking Ramp on E. Park Ave after 5 p.m. on Friday and all day on Saturday & Sunday, as well as behind the Elks Lodge building at E. Park & Mulberry.

There are also several places outside of the Downtown Waterloo area where you can take advantage of one of the free shuttles. Here are details on all three of them:

• Green Bus Stops (approx. 45-minute loop)
  • Days Inn & Suites (La Porte Rd)
  • Hampton Inn (La Porte Rd)
  • Fairfield Inn (La Porte Rd)
  • Isle Casino & Hotel
• White Bus Stops (approx. 45-minute loop)
  • Bien Venu Event Center, Cedar Falls
• Orange Bus Stops (approx. 20-minute loop)
  • Courtyard Marriott (Westfield Ave)
  • City parking lots under 218 overpass (pick-up at 4th St & Washington St.)

The shuttles are available Friday from 3:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. They are not handicap accessible.

Food & Beverages

The main food court is located on Mulberry, right next to Lincoln Park. All of the vendors in that area ONLY accept Irish Fest Bucks, which can be purchased at stations on either end of the food court. The stations will feature a list of items available, as well as the number of Irish Bucks needed for each of them. Cards are accepted for payment. You can check out a list of food vendors HERE.

Courtlin

If you'd rather not use Irish Fest Bucks, there are also a number of restaurants, bakeries, and cafes within the festival grounds that you can visit. Many of the businesses will offer special menu items and extended hours during Irish Fest (check social media for info from each restaurant). The list includes:

• Bootleggers Kitchen & Bar
• Con Amor Bakery & Cafe
• El Patron Family Mexican
• Geno's Pizza
• Hungry Charlie's Lunchbox
• Morg's
• Newton's Paradise Cafe
• The Savvy Bean
• Screaming Eagle American Bar and Grill
• Try Pie

As far as alcoholic beverages go, there are Beer Stations throughout the festival that offer both canned and draft beer (check out the list HERE). Anyone that plans to drink alcohol must first visit an ID tent to get a wristband. You'll be required to get a new one each day of the festival.

Courtlin

There are several ways to pay for adult beverages at Irish Fest. According to social media, the quickest way is to purchase tokens, which are $6 each. There are kiosks where you can purchase tokens with a card, as well as a 'Token Tent' where they accept cash. You can also pay directly with your card at beer tents, as well as The Whiskey Snug, Whiskey Garden, and Dillion's Pub.

Live Entertainment

Iowa Irish Fest features 9 different stages with live entertainment throughout the festival. Here are the names and locations of each stage:

• Nagle/KWWL Stage (main stage) - Lincoln Park
• Waterloo Fiber Stage -Lafayette & E. 4th St, in front of the parking ramp
• Van G. Miller Traditional Stage - Mulberry & E. 4th St
• Dillon's Pub Stage - E. 4th St between Sycamore & Lafayette
• Family Fun Stage - Sycamore & E. 4th St, near Anton's Beer Garden
• Bootlegger's Stage - In Bootleggers Kitchen & Bar, 310 E. 4th St
• Hero's Stage - Mulberry & E. Park Ave
• Elks Ballroom - Inside the Elks Lodge, 407 E Park Ave
• Beverage Experience Street Stage - E. 4th St next to Lincoln Park

Check out the full entertainment schedule for the entire weekend HERE!

Courtlin

Other Activities

In addition to all the entertainment, vendors, food, and beverages, there are TONS of other things happening during Iowa Irish Fest! Here are some of the notable events and activities you can check out in 2026:

• Celtic Cruise Motorcycle Ride
  • Begins at Silver Eagle Harley Davidson/Yamaha on Sunday at 10 a.m.
  • Registration is $40 - sign-up at Silver Eagle Harley Davidson/Yamaha in the clothing department and on the morning of the ride
• Classes & Workshops
  • Irish Dance Workshop
  • The Guinness Experience
  • Travel and Tour Building Workshops
  • Whiskey Workshops
  • Artist Series Workshops
• Family Fun & Learning Area
  • Located at Sycamore & E. 4th St, near Anton's Beer Garden
  • Ages 12 & under
  • Features 6 inflatables, 2 face painters, a balloon twister, a rock wall, games, arts & crafts, mini golf, baby changing & nursing stations, and more
  • Hours
    • Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
    • Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
    • Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Gaelic Football & Hurling
  • Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Lincoln Park
  • Sunday from 12:45 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the Family Area Stage
• High Nelly Bike Rally
  • Begins at Anton’s Garden on Saturday at 9 a.m.
  • Register online HERE
• Highland Games
  • Located in Lincoln Park
  • Practice is on Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. - competition is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • To participate, contact Greg Johnson at sorenblades@gmail.com or Mark McVey at markjmcvey@yahoo.com
• Rugby Game
  • Held at the Cedar Valley Soccer Complex, Waterloo
  • Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • "Adults and high schoolers are welcome to come battle it out in a friendly game of Rugby" - featuring 4 divisions
  • Register online HERE
• ShamRock N Run 5k Fun Run/Walk
  • Race begins at the corner of E. Park Ave and Mulberry near Gate 1 on Saturday at 9 a.m.
  • Register online HERE
• Sheep Herding
  • Held at Lincoln Park on Sunday from 1:45 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
• Sunday Mass
  • Lincoln Park on Sunday at 10 a.m.
  • Lawn chairs are recommended
  • Prior to the Mass, admission to the grounds will be two items of canned foods or non-perishable products for the Northeast Iowa Food Bank

Additional Event Info

Here are a few other pieces of information you might need to know before heading to Iowa Irish Fest this year, courtesy of the festival's FAQ page:

• No pets are allowed (aside from service animals)
• No smoking is allowed
• Items not permitted inside the festival grounds include drones, coolers/picnic baskets, hammocks, fireworks, firearms/weapons, wagons/carts, selfie sticks, cans/bottles, banners/flags on poles, laser pointers, and unauthorized solicitation materials
• You can bring your own lawn chairs, but there are also some bleachers and benches in front of several stages that you can use
• Lost & Found is located at the Volunteer Check-In at E. Park St near Mulberry
• There is an ATM within festival grounds at Bank Iowa on the corner of E. 4th & Mulberry - other nearby ATMs outside of festival grounds include Regions Bank by Gate 1 and Community Choice Bank by Gate 2
• Bikes are not allowed inside the festival, but there is a designated bike corral near Gate 4
• First Aid is located near the E. Park Ave & and Mulberry gate and in the the Family Fun Area
• There is a complimentary water station inside Lincoln Park to fill up water bottles
• You can download an official Iowa Irish Fest app on your phone for additional information

For any additional details about Iowa Irish Fest 2026, you can visit the official website HERE.

Get our free mobile app

READ MORE: A Huge List of August 2026 Fairs, Festivals, & Events Across Eastern Iowa