Leitrim tourism shines on transatlantic stage at Milwaukee Irish Fest
Members of Leitrim Tourism and Leitrim County Council attended the festival
The 43rd annual Milwaukee Irish Fest, the largest celebration of Irish culture and heritage in the United States, took place on the shores of Lake Michigan in Wisconsin from August 15 to August 18.
A delegation of tourism enterprises from around the island of Ireland, including Leitrim Toursim and Leitrim County Council also attended this year’s festival, all highlighting the many things to see and do in Leitrim for American holidaymakers.
The four-day festival, which has a huge audience of more than 130,000 visitors, was an ideal opportunity for Tourism Ireland to showcase Leitrim and the island of Ireland as a superb holiday destination to the important Diaspora audience and people with an interest in Ireland, inspiring them to come and visit.
“The Milwaukee Irish Fest provides a really good platform for Tourism Ireland to showcase the island of Ireland, including our rich heritage and culture, to prospective American visitors,” said Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s Head of North America.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to inspire some of the many people of Irish descent who’re living and working in the US, as well as those with Irish connections or an affinity for Ireland, to come and visit.
“The United States remains an extremely important market for tourism to the island of Ireland.
“In 2023, we welcomed over 1.1 million American tourists to Ireland. It’s our most important market in terms of revenue, responsible for around 30% of all tourist revenue in 2023,” Ms Metcalfe added.
The festival featured a diverse array of Irish themed events, including céilí dance lessons, performances from Irish musicians, Sean-nós singing and even workshops as Gaeilge.
The 43rd Milwaukee Irish Fest proved to be a great success and the festival serves as a powerful reminder between Ireland and its wider diaspora. With transatlantic connections flourishing, Leitrim looks forward to welcoming more travellers to see what the county has to offer.