Irish ambassador coming to much-loved festival

Ambassador Tim Mawe will be in town for the Koroit Irish Festival, on the weekend of April 26-28.

Koroit Irish Festival president Adele MacDonald said the Embassy of Ireland contacted her committee.

"We are thrilled to have the ambassador and his wife coming to the festival," Ms MacDonald said.

"To have the embassy contact us and say the festival was on the ambassador's list of must-dos is such a feather in our cap. We know they will have the best weekend, its very exciting."

The Irish festival committee has been hard at work for months planning the event, with preparations now stepping up to a crescendo.

Irish county flags now fly proudly at the eastern and western entrances to the town, thanks to the festival's flag master Anthony Dowling.

The music and dance line-up for the festival is an impressive one, with the Christine Ayres School of Irish Dancing returning on the back of wins earlier this month in two categories at the Irish dancing world championships.

Joining the dancers on the festival bill will be other long-time favourites including Maria Forde, Old Melbourne Road and The Ferriters.

New acts to the festival include Pogues-inspired Irish rock bands Kellys Wayke, Double Shot Maggie and Madigans Wake.

Ms MacDonald said ticket sales were tracking ahead of last year.

"We do encourage people to go to our website and get their tickets as soon as possible," she said.

"Adults are only $30 and children are free, it is incredible value for the entertainment people will get to enjoy."

New features of the festival this year include an Irish Tea Towel display, poetry competitions, a spud toss, more food vans and a full market on the Sunday.

These come on top of favourites such as the Flaming Folk, A Gathering of Green Eyes, Australia's Most Irish Name, Irish Fashions and Spud Picking, Peeling and Eating.