From N.Y., Guinness fleadh fever spreads

The Guinness Fleadh, which makes its triumphant return to New York City’s Randall’s Island on June 13-14, will make inaugural visits to Chicago (Arlington International Racecourse) on June 20 and the San Francisco Bay Area (San Jose Spartan Stadium Fields) on June 28.

More than 5,000 people attended last year’s first-ever Guinness Fleadh, produced by Festival Marketing and Mean Fiddler.

The Guinness Fleadh will include performances by SinTad O’Connor, The Corrs, Shane MacGowan, The Chieftains, Mary Black, Luka Bloom and the Saw Doctors. Additionally, performers influenced by the Irish musical experience will be featured, including Tracy Chapman, Squeeze, Chumbawamba, the Indigo Girls., Los Lobos, Wolco, Billy Bragg and Richard Thompson.

The Guinness Fleadh Capture the Best of Ireland Program, running from May through June, is a national consumer sweepstakes in which consumers across the U.S. can win thousands of authentic Irish prizes such as Guinness Fleadh Gibson guitars, Guinness Fleadh jackets, Irish music CD’s and movie videos, and Guinness baseball caps and T-shirts.

Consumers can enter via mail-in entry forms which will be available at participating on-premise and off-premise accounts.

Guide to Guinness Fleadh brochures will describe the Guinness Fleadh, provide ticket and performer information, list the prizes available, and include the mail-in entry form. Seven foot high mass displays have also been created to capture consumer’s attention by replicating a mini Guinness Fleadh concert stage. The Guide to the Guinness Fleadh brochure with the mail-in entry form will be featured on the displays.

Band search

Guinness’ sponsorship also includes the return of the Guinness Fleadh Band Search. Prior to the Guinness Fleadh, pubs in New York, Boston, Chicago and the San Francisco Bay area will host evenings where bands compete for a chance to perform at the Guinness Fleadh in their respective markets. The winning band from each Guinness Fleadh Band Search will be invited to play alongside some of the world’s most popular artists at the Guinness Fleadh.

Guinness Fleadh Band Search coordinators have sifted through hundreds of thousands of tapes sent in by New York, Chicago and San Francisco Bay area bands. From these demo tapes, bands were selected and are currently competing in the search. Three bands from each preliminary round will move on to the semi-finals. The top three winners of each semi-final event will be invited to compete at the finals . . . to determine whose next gig will be at the Guinness Fleadh.

Behind the scenes, GIC’s draught team has been hard at work to ensure that thousands of “perfect pints” of Guinness are served to fans at this year’s three Guinness fleadhs.

Guinness Fleadh tickets can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (212) 307-7171 in New York, Ticketmaster (312) 559-1212 in Chicago, and BASS Tickets (408) 998-2277 in San Francisco Bay area.