Immaculate Conception Parish in downtown Knoxville will celebrate Irish heritage with its 17th annual Irish Fest on the Hill, schedule for 4 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8.
Those attending may enjoy Irish food, drinks, dessert, and music and take part in a silent auction. A Gaelic games demonstration will be held. There will also be tours of IC Church, one of the oldest Catholic churches in the Diocese of Knoxville.
The silent-auction wish list includes gift cards and certificates for restaurants, shops, experiences, etc.; services such as simple wills, spa treatments, teeth whitening, or dog grooming; and wine and spirits or jewelry.
Music will be performed on two stages and feature Red-Haired Mary, Knoxville Pipe & Drums, Jeff Nelson, Nancy Brennan Strange & Friends, Four Leaf Peat, the Tennessee Irish Dancers, Tim and Cherry on the Strings, The Missing Goats, and Tracy Jenkins & Will MacMorran.
Drop off items labeled for the silent auction at the parish office or contact Juliet McVay at cwmcvay@comcast.net. To help set up, clean up, or decorate; sell tickets, food, and beer; or staff the Irish Fest booth, call Beth Wolf at 865-679-0535. Many sponsorship opportunities are available; call Becky Birdwell at 865-414-7430. Visit icknoxville.org/irish-fest-committee to learn more about volunteering or serving as a sponsor.
Tickets are $15 each and are available in the parish office during business hours.
More than 1,500 attended the 16th annual Irish Fest on the Hill on Aug. 9, 2025. The event raised a record $37,000. Proceeds were used to rebuild the steps to the parish hall.