It's a Wrap!

Yes, it's all over for NTIF 2012. The volunteer appreciation party is Sunday, April 15th at Winfrey Point, White Rock Lake starting at 12:00 noon. (Setup starts at 11:00am). If you forgot to order your NTIF denim shirt, cap, or jacket we have great news for you. Read the next section.

NTIF Logoed Apparel Now On Sale

We have now established an online sales system for a limited amount of NTIF Apparel. You can purchase your denim shirt, cap or jacket. Just click on this link and you will be redirected to the online sales site. We are starting out in a small way with a limited range. If it all works the way it should and there is sufficient demand, then we will expand the range later in the year. We are also checking our inventory of Festival T-shirts and will add those when we know how many we have. Sales are managed by AD/fx a local company that has produced our apparel for many years, and all purchases will be mailed to you within a couple of weeks.

Harps & Fiddles

NTIF 2012 is the 30th anniversary festival. We started life on March 3, 1983, when a small group of like-minded musicians created a small gathering at Nick Farrelly's Lounge (generally called the NFL Bar). The event was known as the "First Texas Ceili." Ceili (pronounced kay-lee) means a visit or gathering in Gaelic and is understood to involve musical entertainment and dance. The following year we moved home to the historical Fair Park where we have been ever since.

In addition to being our 30th festival, we also picked the theme of Harps & Fiddles, since these two instruments, probably more than any others typify the music of Ireland. There are many varieties of harp found throughout the world, the oldest originating in Egypt some 4,000 years BC. The folk harp or Celtic harp is small to medium-sized and usually designed for traditional music; it can be played solo or with small groups. It is prominent in Welsh, Breton, Irish, Scottish and other Celtic cultures within traditional or folk music and as a social and political symbol.

The medieval fiddle emerged in 10th-century Europe, deriving from the Byzantine lira, a bowed string instrument of the Byzantine Empire and ancestor of most European bowed instruments. The best-known Irish regional fiddling traditions are from Donegal, Sligo, Sliabh Luachra and Clare.

The harp is also featured on the famous Irish light beer, Harp, the flag of Leinster and, prior to joining the Euro, the Irish currency.

Friday Night is Party Night at NTIF!

Leave work early and head on down to NTIF. Get there before 7:00 pm and the evening is on us - well the admission anyway. You still have to buy your own beer! If you are in line at 7:00 pm you will get in free. We spray paint a big green X on the back last person in line at 7:00 pm so we, and everyone else at the festival knows who you are!

If your boss won't let you leave until later then we'll still cut you some slack. Find the 50% discount icons that are hidden somewhere on this website, click on the link and print the pdf document to get in for just $5. No limit to the number you can print. The icon looks like the one on the right - no, that is just a sample, we don't make it that easy! The icons are pretty easy to spot, you just have to look around the site and when you find one you are just a print button away from a great evening at NTIF 2012.

Local Transportation

The festival runs a complimentary shuttle service from the hotels (Doubletree and Radisson) to Fair Park Friday evening and all day Saturday and Sunday. Morning and evening the 40 seat shuttles run about every 20 minutes. During the midday hours less frequently. The dropoff point in Fair Park is at the circle at the end of First Avenue behind the Old Mill Inn. From there it is a 2 minute walk to the entrance gate.

Guests at the Hyatt should request that the Doubletree send it's bus over to pick them up and then they can board our bus to Fair Park.

Busses will run about 30 minutes after the end of the event to ensure that nobody is left behind in Fair Park overnight!

Please note that this is a service paid for and managed by NTIF, not the hotels. Please do not call them for details - they don't know all the details!

New for 2012 - The Culinary Stage

The Tom Thumb Galway stage will feature a number of top Dallas chefs demonstrating how to prepare traditional Irish or "Irish with a twist" recipies. There will be a limited audience for each demonstration, on a first come first served basis, and at the end of the presentation each audience member will receive a small sample of the dish. Check out the chefs on our Culinary page. Thank you Tom Thumb for supporting us with donations, ticket sales and promotions.

Need Help Getting Around the festival?

NTIF has teamed up with ABC Scooter Rentals. They will have a number of individual motorized scooters on site that visitors may rent for the day. To reserve a scooter for Saturday or Sunday at NTIF, email reservations@abcscooter.com or call 903-567-0637. The scooters will be located by the Train Gate, but can be delivered to any other gate as needed. Just ask the friendly folks in Admissions.

Dogs & Cats and Rabbits, Oh my!

One of the most popular areas at the festival is that of the Animal Rescue League. It started out as a handful of dog groups and has now grown to over 50 rescue groups for not only dogs but also cats, rabbits and all kinds of other small furry animals. We are proud to welcome PetCo as sponsor of the Animal Rescue area. Over 100 animals were adopted at NTIF 2011. Let's see how many we can find good homes for this year.

Gaelic Sports

Have you ever wondered why they don't play much Football in Ireland? It's because they have two of their own national games that you have to be really out of your mind to play. Read and watch how to play Gaelic Football and Hurling.

Fionn Mac Cumhaill, the local GAA football and hurling team will demonstrate their sports and explain the significance of the Sam Maguire Cup or just what is meant by a Camán or a Sliotar, or where the heck "Croker" is. Check the schedule for demonstration times on the Emerald stage. they will also be doing a kick-around on the grass next to the Tower Building.

The Scottish Village

The Scots have for many years been welcomed as guests at the Irish Festival. Their colorful Scottish Village is the place to trace your Gaelic roots on the other side of the Irish Sea. Check out the new Scots page in the performers section. Also note the annual meeting of Clan MacDuff to be held during the festival.

Callahan's Fine Wine Bar

New for 2012 is the Callahan's Fine Wine bar where you will be able to purchase some of the finest wines from the Trinchero Family Estates including their Napa Cellars Pinot Noir and Merlot, Dona Paula Estate Malbec, Trinchero “Chicken Ranch Vineyard” and Folie a Deux Chardonnay.

Enjoy a glass of wine, plate of cheese, saussage and crackers and listen to the great music on the nearby Cashel stage.

Callahan's is located at the west end of the Automobile building.

TABC Certification

If you missed the TABC Certification training you can always go online to www.tabss.com and take it online.

NTIF Host Hotel

NTIF is moving just a couple of miles north for its 2012 hotel. Not that we have had anything but exceptional service from the Radisson, it's just that we have outgrown the space that they have available. The 2012 host hotel will be the Doubletree at Campbell Centre - the large gold towers just south of Northwest Highway, Loop 12. More details and reservation links are available here.

At this timethe hotel is SOLD OUT on Friday and Saturday nights. An alternate room block has been reserved at the Radisson hotel at Mockingbird Station. However, this hotel is also selling out fast, so you should book as soon as possible.

Special Note For Dog Owners

We have been granted special permission to have dogs at the Doubletree Hotel. This is an exception to their normal pet policy, and they are asking us to do what we can to get that word out. When you make your reservation please ensure that you are asking for the NTIF block and tell the receptionist that you will be bringing a dog. They will then place all pet owners in rooms in a dedicated pet friendly floor of the hotel.

Note also that you will be asked for a refundable pet deposit either in cash or on your credit card, and will be charged for any damage to the room or furnishings. This is a very fair requirement. If your pet behaves you will receive a full refund when you check out. Also note that dogs should not be left alone in the room for any extended time.