IrishFest Atlanta returns + Debbie Gibson’s ‘Eternally Electric’

Trio smiling outside a blue door; fiddle and uilleann pipes visible.
Open the Door for Three members Pat Broaders, Liz Knowles, and Kieran O'Hare. (Courtesy of IrishFest Atlanta)

Two very different creative lineages meet in metro Atlanta the weekend of Nov. 7–9. IrishFest Atlanta returns to Roswell with musicians who treat tradition as a living art. And pop icon Debbie Gibson, newly a bestselling author, talks about craft, resilience and what readers can expect from her Book Festival appearance at the Marcus JCC of Atlanta. 

Keeping tradition alive at IrishFest Atlanta

Three musicians seated indoors with instruments after a performance.
The trio Open the Door for Three blends archival tunes with new melodies. (Courtesy of IrishFest Atlanta)

As IrishFest Atlanta prepares to open its 2025 weekend in Roswell, founder Teresa Finley is thinking beyond the concerts and workshops. For her, the annual gathering — now over a decade old — has always been about continuity as much as celebration.

“It’s a work of passion,” Finley said. “I feel very strongly about building the next generation of Irish musicians, dancers and singers here in Atlanta. It’s important to share our culture, to pass it forward and give that next generation a chance to grow up with it.”