Arizona Irish Festival, Arizona Irish Festival Celebrates Irelan

[Desert Lass]

Arizona Irish Festival Celebrates Ireland Ancient and Modern
Saturday, March 25 2006 @ 08:57 AM MST
Contributed by: Admin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(3/24/2006)
Phone: 602-308-4601

(March 24, 2006—Phoenix, AZ) The Sixth Annual Arizona Irish Festival is coming to the Irish Cultural Center in Phoenix on Saturday, October 28, 2006. The Festival celebrates historic and modern Ireland and commemorates the Irish in America and all over the world.

The traditional stone buildings at the Center, including a replica of a County Clare cottage, provide the backdrop for the Festival. Stage performances will feature traditional ballads and Irish rock ‘n’ roll; storytelling and genuine blarney; and the powerful dancing style that made Riverdance famous. A series of presentations on history, literature, genealogy, and traditional Irish crafts and industry will illustrate the Ireland of yesterday and today.

Hance Park will become an Irish field where visitors can enjoy ancient kings, modern princesses, real pubs and festival grub. Shoppers can purchase trendy Celtic fashion, fine art, CDs, and instruments to make their own music. Those seeking their Irish roots can consult a knowledgeable genealogist. Adults and children are welcome to wear Halloween costumes in celebration of the October 31 holiday that once marked the end of summer for the ancient Celts. A silent auction will offer unique prizes to the bold bidder with good timing, and the winner of the raffle at the end of the day will find tickets to Ireland in his or her hand. Special entertainment will be announced at a later date.

The Arizona Irish Festival is directed by members of E.R.I.N. (Executive Resources for Irish Networking) in association with the Irish Cultural and Learning Foundation, a 501©3 not-for-profit corporation. All proceeds of the Festival will benefit the Irish Cultural Center and its ongoing activities.

The Irish Cultural Center is the year-round home for Celtic music, language, and dancing classes; Irish literature and film; touring musicians and actors; and First Friday art exhibits. For more information about the Sixth Annual Arizona Irish Festival, please contact Jackie Carro at 602-308-4601, e-mail [email protected], or Web site www.azirishfestival.org.

[Desert Lass]

Arizona Irish Festival Celebrates Ireland Ancient and Modern

Who: The Irish Cultural & Learning Foundation
What: The Arizona Irish Festival ~ Where everyone is a wee bit Irish!
When: Saturday, October 28, 2006 from 10am~5pm
Where: Irish Cultural Center 1106 N. Central Avenue * Phoenix, AZ 85004 Margaret T. Hance (Deck) Park 602.308.4601

azirishfestival.org

Tickets: Early Bird: (available until 9/30/06)

Adults $7, Family $15

At the Gate: Adults $10, Children 6-12 $1, Children under 6, FREE!

The Sixth Annual Arizona Irish Festival is coming to the Irish Cultural Center in Phoenix on Saturday, October 28, 2006. The Festival celebrates historic and modern Ireland and commemorates the Irish in America and all over the world. The traditional stone buildings at the Center, including a replica of a County Clare cottage, provide the backdrop for the Festival.

Stage performances will feature traditional ballads and Irish rock ‘n’ roll; storytelling and genuine blarney; and the powerful dancing style that made Riverdance famous. A series of presentations on history, literature, genealogy, and traditional Irish crafts and industry will illustrate the Ireland of yesterday and today. Hance Park will become an Irish field where visitors can enjoy ancient kings, modern princesses, real pubs and festival grub.

Shoppers can purchase trendy Celtic fashion, fine art, CDs, and instruments to make their own music. Those seeking their Irish roots can consult a knowledgeable genealogist. Adults and children are welcome to wear Halloween costumes in celebration of the October 31 holiday that once marked the end of summer for the ancient Celts. A silent auction will offer unique prizes to the bold bidder with good timing, and the winner of the raffle at the end of the day will find tickets to Ireland in his or her hand.

AMERICA’S GOT TALENT STARS ~ Celtic Spring ~ Celtic Spring is an exciting and unique fiddle and dance band composed of the five Wood family children on fiddles and in dance shoes, joined by their father on the traditional Irish drum, the bodhran. Celtic Spring’s awe-inspiring performances feature a rich variety of music from the Celtic lands and beyond, including original compositions, with unique arrangements that range in expression from lyrical beauty to dance tempo exuberance. www.celticspringband.com .

Brazen Heads ~ This high energy Celtic band has recently reformed after an extended break and added some fresh new faces to the roster. Known for their bawdy show and somewhat eclectic taste in material, the Heads will either get the crowd going or get kicked out trying! www.thebrazenheads.com

Knockabouts ~ Traditional Music, Straight From the Keg! www.knockabouts.org

O'Carrolls' Gate ~ A must see! Not only in the Irish music scene, but also the entire Arizona music scene! With covers of U2, Steve Earle and the Ouges, the Gate really gets things rock'n with audience participation! www.ocarrollsgate.com

Pat McCrossan ~ Pat is the Irish Cultural Center & Learning Foundation's own artist in residence...need we say more? He's the bomb! [email protected]

Eric Rigler & Bad Haggis ~ Cutting edge Celtic for the new millennium! www.badhaggis.com Showcasing Irish music and dance on the

Traditional Stage! Brid Dower Band ~ Brid Dower hails from Waterford, Ireland. Bríd left Waterford in 1992 for Phoenix, Arizona, initially for a short trip, but ended up settling there, where she was able to broaden her musical horizons even further. There she met with local fiddle master Sheila Maguire, and over the course of several permutations, the Celtic rock band Ashling was born. Ashling dominated the local Irish music scene for many years, and with the release of their debut album 'Every Waking Hour', firmly established Bríd as the premiere Irish singer in the Phoenix Valley. www.briddower.com

Oceans Apart ~ The music is infectious, ranging from the breathless jigs and hornpipes, through the more relaxed popular songs, all the way along to the ballads and airs. www.oceansapartmusic.com

The Irish Cultural Center and Learning Foundation is a 501(c ) 3 Non-profit organization. The Irish Cultural Center is the year-round home for Celtic music, language, and dancing classes; Irish literature and film; touring musicians and actors; and First Friday art exhibits. For more information about the Sixth Annual Arizona Irish Festival, please contact Jacqueline Carro, 480.495.8924.[B]

[CelticRoz]

Oh wow! I missed this! I didn't know anything about it! Goes to show I need to be paying more attention on here! Hope it was a good one!