Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) are listed below so if you have any questions hopefully you’ll find them answered here. If not, you can contact us.

Where is the Crawley Irish Festival?

The Crawley Irish Festival takes place from 12pm at The Hawth, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 6YZ.

See our Directions page for more information.

Why has the Festival site moved?

It was proving too expensive to hold it in Southgate and with other obstructions in our way we were delighted that Crawley Borough Council gave the thumbs up to the High Street as a venue in 2012. For 2013, it made sense to move to a new venue where staging was already setup. Again, to save costs and make the event free.  There are also bars already setup at the Hawth, of course.

Is there disabled access?

Yes, throughout the venue.

How do I enter the Open Dance Competition?

The competition is for experienced Irish Dancers. Individuals can enter on the day from 12.00pm. There is much interest in this event and you are encouraged to be as prompt as possible to be able to ensure participation.

Is food available?

Yes, a number of hot and cold food stands will be present at the venue.

Can alcohol be taken into the Crawley Irish Festival?

No. For health and safety reasons and under the terms of our license alcohol can not be taken into the Festival site. Additionally, no glass bottles are to be permitted either.

What’s available for children?

There will be a free children’s play area on site and entertainers will be on hand. Please see our Family page for more information. There is a separate area where charges do apply.

Can fold up chairs be taken into the festival?

Yes. Fold up chairs may be taken into the venues.

Can dogs / bikes / skateboards etc be taken into the festival site?

For health and safety reasons, certain items are not permitted onto the site. Normal items that are not permitted in public will not be permitted around the site area.

Who benefits financially from the Crawley Irish Festival?

The Crawley Irish Festival is a not-for-profit event that hopes to entertain whilst demonstrating aspects of Irish culture. It is run by volunteers who then use proceeds to support other events.

Money raised at the festival pays associated costs involved organising the event. This includes liability insurance, public notices, hire of the venue, waste disposal/clean-up, hire of bands and hire of stages/tents/marques. Whilst logos of local council bodies may appear on advertising for the purposes of funding conditions, they are not responsible for the organisation.

“Profits” from the Crawley Irish Festival fund additional CICS projects (notably the Saint Patrick’s Weekend – a free event but where liability insurance and other expenditure must still be paid). Additional funds will be invested in community projects such as free Irish language classes.

Are there photos available from previous Crawley Irish Festivals?

Yes, there are photos available online for most CICS events from 2004 – please take a look at the Photos page on the main CICS website.

What happened to the Crawley Fleadh?

Nothing. It’s moved! The Crawley Fleadh was a week of events leading up to the Crawley Irish Festival that started in 2004 but due to time issues involved in organisation we have moved it to later in the year (October/November) and covered a much wider number of days and events in recent years. Later, it was decided to alter the timing to around March. It has been there ever since.

More details about the Crawley Fleadh will be made available in the Festival Programme and online at www.celtic-irish.co.uk/fleadh.

Can I book a Stall?

Of course, stalls cost approximately £50. Please send an email to john.nolan@celtic-irish.co.uk for more information.

Why is the Evening Dance not listed?

There will be no evening dance for organised by the Celtic & Irish Cultural Society. There may be other events planned locally so please enquire on the day.