Heavy rainfalls in Nashville have caused the organizers of the fourth annual Music City Irish Fest on St. Patrick’s Day to move the venue.
The new location on Saturday, March 17 will be Public Square Park on the steps of City Hall, organizers said in a press release. The previously announced location at Riverfront Park “has been deemed unusable as a venue for the staging and production,” the press release said.
Weather Underground reports that Nashville International Airport received 10.91 inches of rainfall in February alone.
Organizers made the move after consulting with the City of Nashville, Metro Parks and the Army Corps of Engineers.
“I believe the producers of this great not-for-profit event are making the right decision, albeit a tough one, given the existing water levels on the Cumberland River” Metro Councilman Robert Swope said in the organization’s press release.
Sunday events have been canceled. Saturday hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The fest is billed as Nashville’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day celebration with Irish craft vendors, food and beverage, dancers, sports and a full day of Irish music. The festival is free to the public. The fest’s website says the event’s purpose is to educator people on the Irish and Scots-Irish influence on bluegrass and country music.
Performers include Beat Root Revival from Northern Ireland, The Next Generation Leahy from Canada, Skerryvore from Scotland, Nashville’s Willis Clan and the Southern Academy of Irish Dance.
