SAVANNAH—“May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, and trouble avoid you wherever you go” is one of the many blessings you may hear at Savannah’s Emmet Park during the City of Savannah’s Tara Feis Irish Celebration, taking place Saturday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.  Topping the line-up will be acclaimed Irish-American singer-songwriter, Cathie Ryan.

Organized by Bernadette Winters and Harry O’Donoghue, the family-friendly feis (pronounced “fesh”) — or festival — will be a feast for the eyes, ears and palate, with live performances, food, art activities, crafts and games hosted with Irish ceremony, tradition and hospitality.

Now in its 19th year, Tara Feis is a free, non-alcoholic event geared toward families and children. Festivities begin at 11 a.m. with an official Irish opening ceremony. The main stage will feature plenty of traditional Irish dancing, as well as a live performance by local folksinger O’Donoghue. Two performances by Irish music group, The Cathie Ryan Band, will highlight this year’s feis.

Touring over the past 13 years with The Cathie Ryan Band, vocalist Cathie Ryan has established herself as a leading Irish American singer and songwriter, performing on television and radio nationally and internationally.

Her resume includes NPR’s Mountain Stage and Thistle and Shamrock; PRI’s The World; BBC Radio; Radio Scotland; RTE, RnaG, and TG4 in Ireland; and American Public Television specials “Tommy Makem’s Celtic Christmas” and “The Soul of Christmas.” She has pioneered the path for exploring and performing the traditional songs of both Ireland and America and magically blends her own songs with Irish and American traditional gems to create a unique and timeless sound.  

Ryan has been named “Irish Female Vocalist of the Decade” by The Irish American News, is lauded as “One of the leading voices in Celtic Music” by the Los Angeles Times and was chosen as one of the first American singer-songwriters featured in the renowned Irish music collection “A Woman’s Heart-A Decade On.”

The Tara Feis children’s stage will feature a full day of entertainment, including performances from magician Magic Marc, the puppets of Conrad Hartz and traditional Irish dancing performances from Glor na h’Eireann Irish Dance School and the Irish Dancers of Savannah.

Tara Feis is free and open to the public. Emmet Park is located in downtown Savannah at the east end of Bay Street. For a performance schedule or more information, contact (912) 651-6417 or visit www.savannahga.gov/arts.