Páirc Festival in Birmingham - full line up times for August Bank Holiday Irish music & culture event

Páirc Festival organisers announced the full line up for the August Bank Holiday event celebrating Irish music and culture.

They say the August Bank Holiday festival to be held at the New Irish Centre in Kings Heath for the second year is on course to be the biggest event of its kind.

Last year attracted hundreds of festival goers to the huge open air site at the former Stadium Club on Wheelers Lane and is an impressive array of artists to entertain the crowds on Saturday and Sunday August 26 & 27.

The headline acts have been confirmed as Van Morrison, The Waterboys, Mary Blackand Nathan Carter.

Who is playing at Páirc Festival on Saturday and what time are they on?

Van Morrison joins Páirc Festival to headline on Saturday following the release of his new album, Moving on Skiffle - the latest in an illustrious career that has seen the Belfast showman produce hits such as Brown Eyed Girl, win six Grammy awards, receive an induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a Knighthood for his services to the music industry.

Joining Van Morrison to headline Saturday at Páirc Festival will be Mary Black. For the last quarter century, the folk singer has played a frontline role in bringing Irish music from past and present to an increasingly appreciative and ever-growing global audience and now joins Páirc Festival to share her unique sound and countless hits with the Páirc crowd.

Also joining Páirc Festival on Saturday is Irish country music’s golden boy Derek Ryan. The County Carlow singer continues to win fans with his chart topping albums and smash hit songs  and joins Páirc following his sell out Pure & SimpleTour.

He’ll be performing alongside All Folk’d Up, who will be playing their eclectic mix of classic Irish sounds with their own modern twist and Galway singer-songwriter Mary Coughlan and Birmingham based Danny Darcy, Bang on the Ear and Cairde.

Here are the line up times for Saturday:

• 11.45am Bang on the Ear
• 13:00 The Father Teds
• 14:15 Mary Coughlan
• 15:45 All Folk’d Up
• 17:15 Derek Ryan
• 18:45 Mary Black
• 20:30 Van Morrison
• 22:05 Danny Darcy

Who is playing at Páirc Festival on Sunday?

The Waterboys will be headlining Sunday at Páirc Festival, fresh from their tour of Ireland. The folk rock band are known for their hits A Girl Called Johnny and The Whole of the Moon as well as creating the anthemic sound The Big Music, that inspired U2, Simple Minds and Hothouse Flowers!

The Waterboyswill be joined by Nathan Carter on Sunday, returning to Páirc Festival following his incredible performance last year.

Ireland’s Number One country singer is known for his cover of Wagon Wheel, winning the award for Ireland’s All-Time Favourite Country Song which remains the most successful version of the song, becoming the biggest commercial success of any country release as well as his hit albums Where I Wanna Be and Beautiful Life.

The headliners will be joined by Irish legends The Fureys. The folk singers have been entertaining audiences worldwide for more than 40 years with iconic hits like I Will Love You, When You Were Sweet 16and The Green Fields of France.

Sunday will also see The High Kings take to the Páirc stage. The Dublin band have enjoyed enormous success in their careers, performing at the White House for St Patrick’s Day, selling out 5 consecutive shows at the Olympia Theatre and reaching the top ten in the world Billboard Chart with their debut album.

Sunday’s celebrations will also include a special performance with the Legend of Luke Kelly, created and performed by the renowned Chris Kavanagh taking attendees on a journey through Luke Kelly’s music, The day will be rounded off with performances from Ceol, On the Sesh, and Ash Sheehan.

Here are the line up times for Sunday

• 11:25 Cairde
• 12:25 On The Sesh
• 13:50 Legend of Luke Kelly
• 15:10 Ceol
• 16:40 The Fureys
• 18:10 The High Kings
• 19:45 Nathan Carter
• 21:30 The Waterboys

Is there anything else happening at Páirc Festival?

Attendees will also enjoy Páirc Festival’s street food village, a trad stage, Irish dancing,market stalls celebrating local makers and traditional Irish produce, plus outdoor bars and beer tents!

Road closures in place for festival

The festival’s organisers have confirmed a limited number of road closures will be in place while the festival takes place this weekend. On both Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 August, Wheelers Lane and Barn Lane will be closed throughout the day. Wheelers Lane will be closed from 10am to 11pm, and Barn Lane will also be closed from 10am to 11pm.

What have Páirc Festival organisers said about the line up?

Ciaran Healy, co-owner of the Old Crown in Digbeth and part of the Páirc Festival organising team said; “We are thrilled to reveal our full Páirc Festival line up and announce our Saturday and Sunday headliners.

“It wouldn’t be the biggest celebration of Irish music and culture without performers like Van Morrison, The Waterboys, Mary Black and Nathan Carter as the star acts for our celebrations. It’s a massive pleasure to have them headlining Páirc Festival 2023.”

Ian Rogers, Solihull Fest organiser and part of the Páirc Festival organising team also said:  “Last year proved Páirc is the best opportunity to come together and celebrate Birmingham and Irish music and culture. We can’t wait for Páirc Festival 2023 this summer, it will be a celebration like no other.”

How can I get tickets - and is there an early bird option?

Tickets are available here starting at £55 for an adult day ticket, £88 for an adult weekend ticket, and £220 for a family ticket of 2 adults and 2 children. VIP tickets are also available for the weekend.

For more information about the festival please visit the website -paircfestival.com - or social media @paircfestival on Instagram and Facebook.