'Red Head Day': Half-Price For Gingers At Gaelic Park Irish Fest

OAK FOREST, IL -- It's said that redheads have less hair than brunettes or blondes, and on Memorial Day they will also pay less money to get into one of Chicagoland's largest weekend holiday celebrations. Organizers of the Gaelic Park Irish Fest at Gaelic Park in Oak Forest have dubbed Monday, the final day of the 4-day festival celebrating Irish heritage and the start of summer, "Red Head Day." Redheads will only pay $5 for admission that day when the normal cost of a daily ticket at the festival is $10.

RELATED: Thousands of Redheads Gather for National Ginger Gala

One lucky redhead will be chosen as the best of the bunch, which will be revealed with a "significant" prize at 5 p.m. that day.

"While only 1-2% of the world population are redheads it is estimated that 10% of Irish men and women are redheads making Ireland number one," according to the Gaelic Park website.

John Devitt, chairperson of Gaelic Park Irish Fest in 2017, said the thought to recognize redheads at this year's fest comes from the fact that "history has not been kind" to those with red hair.

"Redheads are more likely to burn, were associated with witchcraft in the 18th century with thousands of women being executed and will eventually disappear because of global warming," he said. "Red hair has always been a phenomenon society has had trouble coming to grips with."

DID YOU KNOW? Oprah's First Job in Chicago Was Offered to Redhead Vicki Lawrence

He added that while many believe Scotland is the country with the highest concentration of those with red hair, more recent numbers indicate Ireland is.

With Ireland having a higher percentage of redheads than any other nation on the planet, Devitt said it made sense to recognize the redheads at the fan-favorite Gaelic Park event in its 31st year. He will be happy if 1,000 redheads show up and plans to take a group photograph of all before the activities end on Monday.

Gaelic Park Irish Fest runs from Friday through Monday at the park located at 6119 W. 147th St. in Oak Forest.

Photo by Tim Moran