The Iowa Irish Festival is joining WayGood recording artists Switchback as a sponsor for the band's third annual Mayfly Dance Cruise, which takes place in LaCrosse, WI, June 6 and 7, 2008.

"We're delighted to have the Iowa Irish Festival as an exclusive sponsor of this event," says Marty McCormack of Switchback. "Each year the Mayfly Dance grows, bringing in people from all over the country. The festival is adding to the excitement!"

The historic Julia Belle Swain Riverboat and the beautiful upper Mississippi bluffs of Minnesota and Wisconsin are the backdrop for this annual event. The late musician John Hartford, who wrote such hits as "Gentle on My Mind," was a pilot on the Julia Belle Swain and wrote songs about the riverboat. Switchback opened for Hartford at the Iowa State Sesquicentennial in 1996, and the meeting with the legendary musician inspired Brian FitzGerald and Marty McCormack to continue his musical tradition on the riverboat after Hartford's death in 2001.

"A lot of people do not realize how close Chicago is to all this beauty of the upper Mississippi," says McCormack. "They are simply stunned to be able to ride on an authentic, working riverboat and have an experience that most people are not able to experience in their lifetimes. We are happy to present this to them."

The cruise on the Julia Belle Swain is actually one of those events that Patricia Schultz, executive producer of the Travel Channel and author of "1000 Places To See Before You Die--in the USA and Canada," mentions.

The cruise is part of a complete weekend of events that feature the music of Switchback and friends. Guests arrive in La Crosse, WI, on Friday night for a special welcome reception with the band and their fellow sailors. On Saturday people will board the Julia Belle steamboat at 8:30 a.m., with a scheduled departure at 9 a.m. There guests will enjoy the music of Switchback and fellow musicians on a relaxing, four-hour cruise. The Julia Belle Swain has an on-board chef who will prepare a special gourmet meal as passengers take in some of the most beautiful scenery in North America. Later that evening, guests are invited to the Pump House Regional Arts Center in LaCrosse for a Mayfly Dance Concert with Switchback at 7:30 p.m.

The Mayfly Dance is priced separately, so people can take just the cruise or enjoy the entire weekend. Cruise tickets are $175 per person. However, a special offer of $150 is available to those who purchase before May 6.

Tickets for the concert at the Pump House are also sold separately and are $15 in advance, $18 day of show. Call 608.785.1434 for more information.Guests are invited to make their own hotel arrangements by calling the Mississippi Riverfront La Crosse Courtyard Hotel at 608.782.1000. Don't forget to mention the Mayfly Dance #3 to receive a special rate.

To reserve a place on the Mayfly Dance Cruise, call Carla Dado at 219.838.1177 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, CDT. Please have your credit card information ready. A small fee will be charged for credit card service.

Switchback will be headlining the Iowa Irish Festival, which takes place August 1 through 3, 2008. For more information on the cruise and the Iowa Irish Festival, visit Switchback's website at www.waygoodmusic.com.