2010 sees Manchester celebrating its fifteenth annual festival

Manchester will celebrate its fifteenth Irish festival with a two week extravaganza featuring two hundred events, staged at thirty two different venues throughout Greater Manchester.

Lawrence Hennigan the marketing executive of the Manchester Irish Festival website said “The festival will feature Art, Culture, Comedy, Community, Dance, Music, Sport and Theatre events, making it one of Europe's biggest Irish Festivals. We have tried to include something for everyone to enjoy in the community and a warm Irish welcome awaits all our visitors.”
The official dates for this years celebration is Friday 5 March to Saturday 21 March, but there are also a number of pre and post festival events from February through to April.

Festival highlights include the award winning 'Young, Gifted & Green' show at the Manchester Town Hall on Saturday 6 March, the annual St Patrick’s festival parade on Sunday 14 March in the city centre and a whole host of St Patrick’s day celebrations leading up to the feast day on the 17 March.

Levenshulme which is home to the biggest Irish community outside of London will be staging its own two week Guinness sponsored Tradfest (5-21 March) to coincide with the festival and the 250th anniversary of Ireland's favourite black stout. Just over two hundred and fifty hours of Irish Culture, Film, Dance, Music, Theatre and fun will take over the village's pubs clubs and parks.

Highlights include a five day St Patrick's weekend tradfest party starting on Friday 12 March and running through to Wednesday 17 March with its own outdoor Funfair and tradfest.