Put on your green and join the Town of Fountain Hills as they shamrock the hills with the annual Irish Fountain Fest on Saturday, March 11.
This free, family-friendly event features food, fun and live music, as well as the famous 560-foot fountain being transformed into a bright emerald green geyser at noon and 4 p.m.
“One of the main things people just adore is when we turn our world-famous fountain green,” said Linda Ayres, Town of Fountain Hills recreation manager. “It’s huge – the band stops, everything stops, and people just flock over there to get pictures and see… It’s pretty cool, and people come out just to see that, believe it or not.”
There will also be a kids zone, food trucks, a beer garden and much more, making for an entire day of green Irish fun in Fountain Hills. While the kids are enjoying face painting and yard games, adults can stop by the Crescent Beer Garden for a beverage.
In St. Patrick’s Day spirit, four different Irish bands will play throughout the day, ranging from traditional Irish folk dancing to Celtic rock. Trotter’s Wake Band will kick things off as the festival opens at 11 a.m. Then, after the greening of the fountain at noon, the Kilted Spirit Band will perform from 1 to 2 p.m., followed by the Phoenix Pipe and Drum Band from 2 to 3 p.m. Traveler, a Celtic rock band, will close out the day from 3 to 5 p.m.
“The bands play to the crowd really well. We’ve got a big stage and a dance floor out front, and you’ll see everyone from little kids out there dancing, families, someone who’s 83 years old – so it’s kind of cool that there’s such a wide variety of people,” Ayres said.
According to Ayres, the Irish Fountain Fest is a long-standing tradition in Fountain Hills. While the town had to take a break during COVID, last year it returned with its biggest year ever, with about 8,000 attendees.
Ayres said it’s a perfect day for families to get out and have a good time, and added that “people will come and sit all day, or at least for three or four hours. There’s a lot to do there.” She also suggested attendees bring their own blankets or lounge chairs and water.
The Irish Fountain Fest will be at Fountain Park, 12925 N. Saguaro Blvd., from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 11.
