Get Your Irish On St. Patrick’s Day Happenings for the Irish in Ye... By Rick Coates When the Bun Brady Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians formed 30 years ago St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the area were simply raising a few pints of green beer at local pubs and family dinners and parties in the homes of the Irish descendants in the region. That has all changed. The Hibernians will host their 31st annual parade (happens the first Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day every year) this Saturday, March 13 and the day will include plenty of music, toasting, food and honoring the Irish culture. Now, 30 years later, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day has become a major event, make that events, in the region. While the Hibernians have led the way, others have now jumped on the bandwagon. Here is a snapshot of activities taking place in the region:
St. Patrick’s Parade & Party: The 31st Annual Ancient Order of Hibernians St. Patrick’s Parade takes place this Saturday, March 13 in downtown Traverse City. The parade kicks off at 1:30 p.m. in front of North Peak Brewery and weaves its way through the streets of Traverse City. The parade is open to the public and anyone may walk in it. Participants are encouraged to dress in green, to bring American and/or Irish flags. The parade takes about an hour to walk and those who want to ride the parade route may do so aboard the Celtic Shuttle. To walk the parade route, simply show up to North Peak at 1 pm and parade marshals Tim Smith and Todd McCall will place you in the parade. Anyone interested in having a float should contact Todd McCall at 248-850-5161 or by e-mailing him at bunbrady@gmail.com. There are both pre- and post-parade activities scheduled at North Peak and Kilkenny’s. The pre-parade activities begin at Noon in Kilkenny’s, but get there early (they open at 8 a.m. for breakfast) to get a table. The Ancient Order of Hibernians and Irish Queens Organization announce their Lord Mayor and Queen as well as the Irish Prince and Princess are announced along with the Hibernian of the Year; and each year the Maggie Thatcher Award is given to the Hibernian who has embarrassed himself the most. The Grand Marshall of the Parade will also be honored. This year’s Grand Marshall is the new Bishop of the Diocese of Gaylord, Bishop Bernard Hebda, who is Irish on his mother’s side of the family. Bishop Hebda and the other honorees will ride in the parade in convertibles provided by Joe Curtis of Traverse Motors. The post-parade activities will take place immediately following the parade under the tent over the patio at North Peak where Irish rockers The Wild Sully’s will perform. There will be plenty of corned beef and cabbage (other options as well), Shirley’s Irish Stout (named after Hibernian Mike Shirley, the Master of Ceremonies of the High Holy Days) and lots of Irish dancing.
Lucky Leprechaun Ball: This is an annual event hosted by Mike Sullivan and his bandmates Song of the Lakes. This family-friendly event takes place Sunday night at Kilkenny’s in TC at 5 p.m. It will feature Irish music by the band, the 31st annual Danny Boy singing contest, the Irish trivia contest, Couch Potato Auction, a new Irish dart competition, and a band auction to have a chance to have some area bands perform in your home for a house concert. Also on sale will be Pearl of America, a remix of a classic recording by Song of the Lakes and one of their most popular albums. This family-friendly event is priced at $10 adults, and free for those 15 and under. There will be lots of great Irish-inspired food with a kids’ menu featuring items less than $5. All proceeds benefit the Father Fred Foundation. The Lucky Leprechaun Ball is sponsored by The Ancient Order of Hibernians and takes place at Kilkenny’s Irish Public House, 400 W. Front St., TC; advance tickets at Nolan’s Tobacco Shop, the Father Fred Foundation, North Peak, Kilkenny’s, or at the door.
Some of the fun at last year’s Hoolie. Photo courtesy of www.emmetsociety.org.
Robert Emmet Society Hoolie: The Robert Emmet Society of Petoskey in partnership with the Blissfest Music Organization will present their annual Robert Emmet Hoolie at the City Park Grill in downtown Petoskey on Tuesday March 16 at 5 p.m. A “hoolie” is when Irish people gather in a small place to celebrate. This hoolie has become the highlight of the seasonal St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Petoskey. The event features Irish music, song and dance with local artists, door prizes and special Irish dinner fare. Reduced admission prices are offered to Irish citizens, NCMC students, seniors, and members of the Blissfest Music Organization and the Robert Emmet Society. Proceeds benefit the Society’s annual scholarship to send a North Central Community College student to Ireland for one semester of study. For additional details go to www.emmetsociety.org or call 231-535-2440.
Irish Comedy Tour: The Irish Comedy Tour takes Dublin’s pub and party atmosphere and brings it to the stage. There are two upcoming shows in Northern Michigan. This Friday, March 12, the comics perform at the Dream Makers Theater at the Kewadin Casino in Sault Ste. Marie, followed by a show on Saturday night at the Traverse City Opera House. The tour includes Detroit native Derek Richards; the Boston-born Mike McCarthy; and New Yorker Jim Paquette. The trio is absolutely hilarious and this is definitely a show for adults only. The comedians have also agreed to participate in the Ancient Order Of Hibernians Parade in TC earlier in the day, so look for some additional laughter along the parade route. Detroit native Derek Richards gets audiences howling at the tales about his mom’s dog, the holidays, and dating a stripper. He has appeared on “The Bob & Tom Show,” XM and Sirius radio and The Weather Channel’s “Top 10.” Boston-born Mike McCarthy’s no-holds-barred humor has landed him on Comedy Central and Showtime. The “comedy barbarian,” as he calls himself, takes no prisoners when it comes to poking fun at society’s most sensitive topics. Rounding out the trio is New Yorker Jim Paquette, who has fine-tuned his comedy chops across the country as a dueling piano performer. He opens the show by playing riotous original songs on his guitar that inspire audiences to clap along. Paquette has released two of his own comedy albums and his songs have been featured on radio stations across the country. For a sampling of their work watch the videos at www.theirishcomedytour.com and to purchase tickets go to www.cityoperahouse.org or call the box office at 231-941-8082.
BlissFest presents Dervish: With 21 years under their belt and 10 albums to their credit, the six members of Dervish push Irish traditional music to new levels at the Harbor Springs Performing Arts Center on Saturday, March 13 at 8 p.m. Dervish has performed in scores of countries around the world, with venues ranging from the Great Wall of China, to the Holy Land, to the Rock in Rio festival before 240,000 people. Although their roots are in traditional Irish music, they take the genre to the next level with their own tunes, as described in their press material: “Dervish concert performances are a myriad of tones and moods ranging from high energy tunes, played with fluidity and intuitiveness, to beautifully measured songs, from charming lyrics of life and love, to inspiring melodies that lift audiences from their seats. All the elements are drawn together by Cathy Jordan¹s masterful stage-presence. Her stories to the songs and her interaction with the audience draws people into the music in a way very few performers can achieve.” Advance tickets for the BlissFest-sponsored concert are $17, or $20 at the door, with students half price.
Celtic Crossroads Porterhouse Productions is presenting Ireland’s hottest musical group (okay, maybe second hottest next to U2) this Monday March 15 at the City Opera House in TC. Celtic Crossroads presents Irish music like never before; they are doing to Irish music what Riverdance has done to Irish dance. Last year saw Celtic Crossroads perform its first ever season in the United States. Every show was a sell-out. The name Celtic Crossroads originates from a time in Ireland when neighboring communities met at the crossroads between towns and villages to socialize – long before the pub tradition began. With a focus on keeping the tradition of Irish music alive, each performer nurtures this bygone concept, but by virtue of their young age and raw talent, they high-kick this tradition into the 21st century. True high-kicking from some of Ireland’s best-respected Irish dancers also intensifies the pulsating rhythms of the show. The live concerts are a spectacle of talent as seven highly talented musicians display how Irish music influenced the global birth of a multitude of musical genres. The inventive arrangements and bass-driven grooves are steering Irish acoustic music into new territory. The opening act will feature the Grand Traverse Pipes & Drums. For a sampling of their music watch a performance video at www.celticcrossroads.ie and to purchase tickets go to www.cityoperahouse.org or call the box office at 231-941-8082.
TC Pub Crawl: After 31 years, this event, hosted by the pubs in downtown Traverse City needs no introduction. Simply head downtown and join in the fun, visiting a different watering hole throughout the day. The Pub Crawl starts at Minerva’s from 12-2 and progresses to Bubba’s: 2-3, the U&I Lounge: 3-4, Union Street Station: 4-5, Bootlegger’s: 5-6, Dillenger’s: 6-7, Brady’s: 7-8, The Blue Tractor: 8-9, Firefly Lounge: 9-10, and The Loading Dock: 10-11. The only thing you need is your wallet; green attire and this phone number: 231-313-1760 for the Celtic Shuttle. Please do not drink and drive. Happy St. Patrick’s Day.
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