Clare's Irish Festival and "City of Festivals"

Clare’s name is borrowed from County Clare in Ireland, and the town leans happily into its Irish side. Locals call it the “City of Festivals.” The big one is the Clare Irish Festival every March, around St. Patrick’s Day. For about half a century it’s drawn thousands of people downtown. They come for a parade, live music, a craft show, bed races, a leprechaun contest, and plenty of green. (Even the town’s duck figurines turn green for the occasion.)

Clare sits right where US-127 and US-10 cross, and it’s long been called a “gateway to the north.” That makes it an easy stop. The walkable downtown — brick sidewalks, shops, restaurants — is part of the appeal year-round.