Worcester Hibernian Cultural Centre to Host Second Annual Irish Music Festival

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Worcester Hibernian Cultural Centre will host its second annual Worcester Irish Music Festival on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, June 12, 13, and 14 on its grounds at 19 Temple Street. The three day festival will include all genres of Irish music, several musical headliners, Irish step dancers, kids’ activities, a traditional Irish Seisiún, and the one-of-a-kind “Boiled Cabbage O’Lympics.”  Tickets are available on the festival’s website, www.WorcesterIrishMusicFestival.com, at the Fiddlers’ Green Pub & Restaurant, or by calling (508) 792-3700.  Ticket prices are $10 for one day ($12 at the gate), $20 for a weekend pass ($25 at the gate), and children under 12 are free.  Proceeds from the festival will directly support future festivals and other Centre activities.

Headlining the festival will be the bands The Town Pants from Vancouver, Canada, and The Glengarry Bhoys from Ontario, Canada.  Also performing will be local traditional and contemporary Irish groups including Inchicore, The Joshua Tree, The Brennan Brothers, Songs for Ceilidh, and Boston Comhaltas.  In addition, Irish step dancers will take the stage while a continuous, traditional Irish Seisiún, or Irish version of a pick-up session, runs inside the Centre throughout the weekend.

The Worcester Irish Music Festival will also feature the soon-to-be-world-famous “Boiled Cabbage O’Lympics” on Sunday, June 14.  Teams of two will race against other teams of two through an obstacle course that starts with one teammate pouring a can of Guinness (shaken, of course) into a plastic pint cup, kicking a head of boiled cabbage through a course of orange cones (pint cup in hand), then throwing a rubber snake in a basket (à la St. Patrick), followed by bobbing for a potato, then passing the cup of black goodness to his/her partner who races back down the course. At the end, depending on how much Guinness spilled out of the cup, seconds will be tacked on to teams’ times.  The winning team will be awarded the “Cabbage Cup.”  (Note that participants will all be at least 21 years of age and that no consumption of Guinness, necessarily, will occur during the activity.)

“Last year’s festival drew thousands of people from around New England, so we’re looking to build on that success.  This year, we have another line up of fantastic bands in addition to kids’ activities, step-dancers, an Irish Seisiún, and vendors,” said Festival co-chair John W.S. Creedon, Jr.  “The bizarre but hysterically funny ‘Boiled Cabbage O’Lympics’ on Sunday are sure to be a draw along with the live music, food, and good cheer.  And, while the ‘luck of the Irish’ may be on our side, we’ve left nothing to chance by putting the entire event under a massive 100’ x 80’ tent along with some other smaller tents.”

Proceeds from the Festival will benefit the 501(c)(3) Worcester Hibernian Cultural Foundation, Inc. to enable the organization to underwrite events that promote and preserve the Irish heritage and culture of Worcester.  The Foundation’s “Worcester Hibernian Cultural Centre” has quickly become the premiere cultural venue for the Worcester area Irish community since its opening in 2005. The building was refurbished by the Foundation filling a void created in 2002 when the Commonwealth of Massachusetts took the former “Irish Club,” located on Millbury Street, by eminent domain for the construction of the Route 146 Extension.

“This Festival will certainly be fun for both young and old alike with a wide array of music and events for the whole family,” says Foundation President, Paul Verdini. “Plus it will bring in needed funds to support future festivals and the Centre’s other cultural activities.”

More entertainment and events are expected to be added to the Festival and will be posted to the event’s website: www.WorcesterIrishMusicFestival.com.  Sponsorship opportunities and entries in the “Boiled Cabbage O’Lympics” are still available.  For more information, contact festival organizers at WorcesterIrishMusicFestival [at] gmail [dot] com.