21-Apr-09 1:00 PM CST

THE BIG DON'T MISS LIST!

THE BIG DON’T MISS LIST!

Romancing the Stone: Here’s what you do when you go to Ireland: you take the train to Cork, stand in a horrendously long line at the Blarney Castle and you lie on your back perilously and kiss the Blarney stone and buy a picture of yourself doing this while being held around the waist by some big Irish lad. And why do you do this? So that you can grab the gift of gab – just like the Irish.

Ifest has a Chevron Living Museum; iFest has a Blarney Castle in it; iFest has a Blarney stone in the Castle and a big Irish lad, and, yes, you can kiss it – the stone, that is. Will we Texans become eloquent? YEE HAW, Y’ALL!

Texas Tunes: weeeee’re back: Yes, the Texas Stage is back. It was washed away in the deluge of 2004. With the support of the Houston Endowment and the Smithsonian – no that’s not a misprint – authentic Texas music is back. Check the likes of headliners Marcia Ball, CJ Chenier, Little Joe Y la Familia and Los Tres Reyes de Accordiones with Flaco Jimenez, Joel Guzman and Jaime deAnda, at the newly renovated Library Plaza.

Kids are free…take one: Rather, the admission for kids, 12 and under is free, not actual kids. And who buys up the kids’ tickets so parents don’t have to? Target, that’s who. And who sponsors the really fun Kids Zone? Again, it’s on Target.

Africa, as always, is in the house: Ifest is always big on African music and crafts. So check out the new and improved African/Caribbean Zone in Lower Tranquility Park. A perennial favorite – the Jamaica Zone – is there now too. And remember the Ethiopians from last year? They are back too.

Funk, Gospel, Reggae, Zydeco, Jazz and more: iFest has the real Ohio Players – don’t ask. Also don’t miss the queen of gospel Mavis Staples. Hot reggae straight from Jamaica, mon, Rootz Underground and Wailing Souls. Zydeco fans it’s dancin’ time with Step Rideau and Keith Frank. And come graze in the grass with the world famous South African jazz of Hugh Masekela. And did I mention Los Lobos?

Pub Plethora: Remember back in 2001, the Irish pub on the old Library grounds? It was the place to be. This year, there are four pubs: the iFest Pub at the World Music Stage; McGonigel’s Mucky Duck Pub at City Hall; and the Guinness Pub and the Jameson Pub, both in Chevron Living Museum area. Let the pub crawl begin!

Do your part – save the economy: An Irish Market, a Fine Arts Market, an African/Caribbean Market – I could go on. There are 50-zillion cool items from all over the world. After all, it is an international festival. Come. Shop. Buy. This is the place to find your one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts.

Grey pudding and boiled meat? Nope, it is a myth that Ireland has boring food. In fact, Dublin boasts some of the finest cuisine in Europe. For some, iFest exists mainly for the international food on offer. Come and feast on delights from all over the world.