Church Hill community prepares for 39th annual Irish Festival

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- St. Patrick Catholic Church and the Church Hill community are preparing for the 39th year of the Irish Festival in Richmond from Saturday, March 15 to Sunday, March 16.

From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both days, visitors can enjoy traditional Irish music, bagpipes, Irish and Scottish dancing, vendors and thousands of pounds of corned beef and cabbage.

The festival will kick off with an annual parade at 10 a.m. on Saturday, and runners can enjoy The Hill Topper 5k at 9 a.m. on Sunday.

Related coverage: Several streets in Richmond to close this weekend for festivals

The festival takes place at 25th and Broad Street right in front of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Richmond's Church Hill neighborhood.

"This old church has been here since the 1850s, built by the Irish here in the Richmond community," Stokes McCune, a festival organizer, told 8News. "It's been here since then, and it supports the Saint Patrick's Church and great charities and schools here in our neighborhood."

There's a suggested $5 donation at the door that will support the church and other charitable organizations.

Two shuttles will run all day Saturday and Sunday. Those can be found at:

• The parking lot located at 17th and Broad Street will drop off at 24th and Broad Street
• The parking lot located at 200 Orleans Street will drop off at 26th and Broad Street

A full schedule of performers and musicians throughout the day can be found on The Church Hill Irish Festival Facebook page.