The annual Connecticut Irish Festival attracted crowds in the thousands over the June 16 weekend, bolstered by a Deal or No Deal casting call held in conjunction on the North Haven fairgrounds.

Festival attendees jigged to a stream of live Irish bands and washed down corned beef sandwiches and soda bread with a pint of Guinness or a cup of tea. The main tent contained seating for hundreds to sit and savor the food, drink, and bands, one of which joked in the spirit of the festival, “Enjoy yourselves, because the more you drink, the better we sound.”

Traditional Irish sports such as hurling and Gaelic football attracted the younger fairgoers, as did a row of giant, inflatable rides and the petting zoo. Two barns full of booths hawked innumerable Irish-themed memorabilia, while another barn offered information on Irish history and culture. The event also included an Irish dancing competition and a 5k road race.

Held annually in some configuration since 1963, the festival’s present non-profit form has been hosted by the Irish American Community Center of East Haven since 1989.

“All money goes to promulgating Irish culture,” said festival publicity committee member Dennis Regan.

The East Haven Irish American Community Center promotes and hosts Irish plays, concerts, dancing, Gaelic language instructions, social activities, and sports, and will be sending a youth Gaelic football team to compete on the national level in San Francisco in July. The community center also conducts benefits for the sick and bereaved, Regan said.

The festival’s attendance was assisted this year by an open casting call on June 27 for the NBC game show Deal or No Deal, which recently moved production to Waterford, Conn.

The show, hosted by Howie Mandel, begins when a contestant chooses one briefcase from a series of cases that each contain a different and unknown monetary amount. The contestant then eliminates the remaining brief cases, which are opened with suspense by models, all while receiving offers from an offstage banker in return for the original briefcase. A contestant can accept an offer, or hold on to their original briefcase in return for the monetary amount inside, with a chance at $1,000,000.

The casting call, held under a tent on one side of the fair, seemed to align with “the luck of the Irish,” as the show actually singled out the Irish Festival.

“We were approached by Deal or No Deal,” said John Mackey of the festival’s publicity committee. “They asked if they could do a casting call for the show. We said ‘heck yeah.’”

Regan said that he thought the original e-mail from Los Angeles Deal or No Deal casting director Luke Conklin was a prank. “I e-mailed back, ‘sure, and the president of Ireland can run in the 5k,’” he said. “I thought it was a joke.”

Conklin e-mailed back, pleading the veracity of the show’s interest. Meanwhile, Regan and his colleagues had researched the matter and decided the opportunity was legitimate.

“Conklin was incredibly warm and receptive to us,” Regan said. “After that, we were walking on eggshells. We could not believe that this just dropped into our laps.”

“We’re so appreciative of Deal or No Deal for choosing us,” he added.

Aaron Simnowitz, a casting director present at the festival, said that the program has been targeting an array of Connecticut and East Coast events since its operations were moved to the area. Future casting calls will be held at Hartford’s Riverfest and New London’s Sailfest, he said, as well as a variety of other events in New York and Boston.

“We like to get a different demographic of people,” Simnowitz said. “We’re looking for some fun, energetic, and enthusiastic people.”

Many news organizations picked up the casting call from the Irish Festival’s press release and Route 91 billboard. Plenty of locals caught word and lined up, hoping that they would fit Simnowitz’s description. Over 1,000 participants filled out two-page tryout forms, which included personal queries such as “What is the most outrageous thing you have ever done?” and “Tell us an embarrassing story about yourself.”

The casting call began at 2 p.m., with the gate opening at 11 a.m. Many hopefuls came early.

“At least 40 people were there since 9 a.m.,” Regan said. “We had 300 people by noon.”

“One woman camped out since 8:30 a.m. on Thursday,” Regan added of the Saturday event. “It was her 10th casting call.”

The average wait was four to six hours, Regan said. For all their patience, those in line were awarded a chance to talk about themselves for only several seconds. The three Deal or No Deal casting representatives each summoned groups of 10 aspirants at a time to weathered folding tables beneath the small tent. The representatives collected the tryout forms and prefaced that they did not want to hear about the recession or the show, and then called names from the forms. Upon hearing their names, the hopefuls took short turns explaining themselves as they jockeyed around the tables for better positioning. Mere minutes later, the aspirants walked away, dreaming of receiving that call from the show’s producers.

“They told me that they are looking for something that makes people stand out,” Regan said of the representatives. “They said that when they see it, they can instantly know it.”

In order to stand out, people chose to dress up as cheerleaders, a clown, or as Santa Clause enjoying his off season. One person sang her case in opera. Most individuals seeking to be remembered simply acted overly excited and boisterous.

“The people we saw were very broad,” Simnowitz said. “A lot of people are coming up with great energy and a big smile. Those are the kind of people we like.”

“We’re also looking for people who deserve the show’s money,” he added, a fact not lost on the hopefuls as they commonly stated what they would do with the top prize if they made the show.

“I’d buy a condo and split it both ways,” Lorraine Demicco said, nodding at her three friends accompanying her.

“I’d buy an electric scooter for my brother and Yankee season tickets for me,” said Sandy Mattesini. The tryout questionnaire also asked participants an interesting fact about themselves not obvious to strangers. Mattesini answered that she drove a forklift.

Joanne Demicco said that she could use the show’s prize money because she has been delivering newspapers seven days a week, and has not taken a day off in years.

Joanne Serio, who donned plastic novelty glasses, brought a tryout tape of herself and a sponge. “It’s to clean the bank out,” she joked of the latter.

On winning the show’s top prize, Serio said, “I would go to Italy and I would go to a Yankee game.”

“I would also buy a new car,” she added. “I have a piece of junk right now.”

The tryouts lasted about three and a half hours as 1,023 people shuffled anxiously through the tent.

“We’re seeing such great people,” Simnowitz said. “They love Howie and the suspense of the show.”

“I’m very impressed with the turnout,” he added afterwards. “It was very good.”

Half a dozen of the Irish Festival’s organizers tried out for the show, but not Regan, who said that playing host had sapped him of his energy. Also, he did not want to take away from the chances of those lined up, some of whom he hoped would make the show from his organization’s festival.

“I think they all have a chance,” he said, “A slim one, but just as slim of a chance as we had in the show finding us and deciding to hold a casting call.”

“If we won, why can’t they?” Regan added.

For more information on Irish American Community Center of East Haven, visit www.iacc-ct.com.