Horsham Irish Festival organisers hope to see festival grow

Event coordinator Andrea Cross said the festival, now in its second year, is hoping for similar numbers as last year's debut event.

"We had about 300 people attend the last festival but about 1000 people came through the market," she said.

The Horsham Irish Festival is made up of a free component in the morning and a licensed and ticketed aspect in the afternoon.

This year's festival will begin at 10am with an Irish brunch being served in an artisan market setting featuring local handmade craft and produce.

Irish pride will shine during the heats of the O Danny Boy singing contest before the ticketed part of the festival opens at 2pm.

The licensed part of the festival - The Village Green - will showcase Adelaide Celtic band The Borderers and local group Johnny Thunder and the Lightnings will perform.

The afternoon will also bring the annual spud peeling competition, Snap Fitness's strongman and arm wrestling championships and the finals of the O Danny Boy singing contest.

Irish dance workshops and performances will also feature alongside the Horsham ukulele group.

Ms Cross said organisers found more local families had Irish connections than first believed.

"While it wasn't inspiration behind it, interestingly enough after last year's festival we found a lot of pioneers settling in this region were of Irish or German descent," she said.

The festival was started as a fundraiser for the Horsham Agricultural Society and Maydale Reserve.

"The inspiration has been the need to raise money for our venue (to help with) improvements," Ms Cross said. "It will help to support the local agricultural show."

Helping grow the festival was the Frances Folk Gathering decided to finish up after last year's event.

Ms Cross said a number of people who support the event on the South Australia-Victoria border were planning to visit the Horsham Irish Festival.

"The Frances Folk Gathering was going into recess and there are a lot people that support Irish music and culture, so it was a natural fit," she said.

"Francis Folk has been going for 20 years. We have got interest from some of their patrons from as far as Melbourne.

"There is a small contingent coming up from Melbourne and we are hoping to get them on the dance floor.

"Any event takes about five years to establish but we have had such a great response."

The Horsham Irish Festival is on Saturday, February 29, with free events from 10am. The ticketed Village Green opens at 2pm. Entry is $20.