Midwest Fleadh

Midwest Fleadh 2026
St. Louis, MO- May 8-10

General Information

The Midwest Fleadh Cheoil (pronounced 'flah') is the main regional traditional Irish music competition, hosted annually by a Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann branch that is based in the Midwest. In 2026, the fleadh will be hosted at the Ballpark Hilton in St. Louis, MO on May 8-10. We are planning to send a bus this year, provided there is enough interest, and will send more information about that soon.

We would like to extend a warm invitation to all CIM students to attend the fleadh and compete in solos, duets or trios! The youngest competitors will compete in the U12, on up through adults in the 'senior'/O18 competitions. CIM's Ensemble Program will send students to compete in the U18 Grúpa Ceoil, the U18 Céilí Band, the U15 Céilí Band, and the U15 Grúpa Ceoil competitions this year.

Let CIM know about your plans for the fleadh! Please fill out our CIM Fleadh Interest and Contact Form for 2026!

This is a great opportunity to improve your skills & music through competition (including receiving comments from experienced judges/instructors in the field). Additionally, the Midwest Fleadh Cheoil is an amazing opportunity to connect to a larger community of Irish musicians. You will also experience the enjoyment and satisfaction of focusing on becoming a better Irish player. The Fleadh atmosphere is a great gathering of musicians - it's a fun and supportive environment. The goal is to have fun as you meet and hear other talented young traditional musicians based in the Midwest.

We hope you will join us this year!

Location

Hilton St. Louis at Ballpark

1 S Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63102

Rooms are around $TBD plus tax. Use code ??? for the group rate. Reservations can be made online.

What to Wear

Group Competitions - refer to the CIM Fleadh Ensemble Costume Guide (u15 & u18). Please contact Lily to order a Fleadh costume.

Solo, duets & trios - A nice outfit that you are comfortable in (like your CIM shirt).

The Competitions - Information

CIM supports students preparing for solo, duet and trio competitions at the fleadh. Private weekly lessons are necessary if you would like to compete. It takes instructors' time and expertise to come up with repertoire, variations etc. Please respect instructors' time if you need extra time from them (you might want to book a few extra lessons, for example) and don't hesitate to contact the CIM Office to help with booking these.

Choose your tunes and songs early, making sure they are memorized with variations at least a month ahead of time. Practice rigorously so that you can relax and enjoy yourself at the competition! Attend CIM's Practice Fleadh (info below) to get your competition jitters out!

All competitions are open to the public. Family members are encouraged to listen to competitions on Friday and Saturday, whether you know someone who is competing or not. Spectators (family members and guests 10 years and older) must purchase a Spectator’s Wristband (usually $10-$12). This admits you to all competitions including the Band competitions on Saturday night.

General Schedule (subject to change, but this has been the schedule for the past several years):

Friday evening: duos/trios competitions, occasionally a few solo competitions
Saturday morning/afternoon: majority of the solo competitions
Saturday evening: large group competitions

All families, instructors and students should plan to attend the Saturday night group competitions (Ceili Band and Grúpa Ceoil). It’s like a concert with a great lively atmosphere – the best part of the weekend. Don't miss it, and wear your CIM t-shirts (available from the office for $15).

CIM Support

YAC Open Mic Night

All Duo and Trio groups entering fleadh competitions are encouraged to sign up for a slot at CJAC's Open Mic Night (TBD). Information will be available soon on how to sign up. This will be a fun way to share your hard work with a supportive audience, and get a chance to hear your peers before the fleadh. The evening is presented by CJAC's Youth Advisory Council.

Practice Fleadh - Saturday May 2, 9:30am - 12pm
This is a free opportunity to try your tunes out for CIM instructors (20-minute slots). We will send out a sign-up to the CIM Fleadh email list so please be sure to fill out: CIM Fleadh Interest and Contact Form

U18 and senior competitors should sign up one slot per competition you are entering. U15 and U12 can sign up for one slot per competition or one slot per 2 competitions since there are less tunes to get through in the allotted time.

Please plan to arrive 15 minutes before your assigned time so you can have your instrument out, tuned, and be ready to play.

Registration Information

You will register for your solo competitions as well as any duos/trios you're involved with. CIM will register and cover the cost of the groups (Grupa Cheoil and Ceili Bands). We will send out an email once registration opens with a link. Please be sure to fill out our CIM Fleadh Interest and Contact Form so you receive all fleadh communications.
Watch the deadlines carefully to avoid late fees, and sign up as soon as possible. It is usually $20 per solo competition, $15 per duet/trio competitor.
Check the box for the non-CCÉ members fee. CIM students are not CCÉ members as CIM is not a Comhaltas branch.
You MUST register ONLINE for ALL solo/duet/trio competitions in one instance.
A registration fee will be charged per family so please complete all your family’s entries in one instance. If you break your family's entries into two (or more) instances, you will be charged for Registration fees every time.
Incomplete (unpaid) entries are not registered. If you are unable to complete the entry process fully in one session, please re-start the process from the beginning.

Qualifying for Ireland

Musicians who place first or second in the Midwest competitions qualify to compete in Ireland at the All-Ireland Fleadh. The All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil / Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann will be in Belfast from August 2-10, 2026. More information is on the fleadhcheoil.ie website.

For several years, many CIM students have decided to make the trip to Ireland with their families, and in 2017-2019, and 2022-2024, groups from the CIM have competed in Ireland. Every year, CIM sends an instructor to the All-Ireland Fleadh to support competitors, but not to chaperone. If you are interested in learning more about the All-Ireland Fleadh, we are happy to connect you with students or families who have made the trip in the past. We have many students who are available to share information about any aspect of the trip to Ireland with you! Contact Norah Rendell at nrendell@centerforirishmusic.org for more information.