Irish Massachusetts

The 13th annual Newport Irish Festival takes place this Labor Day weekend, September 4-6, at Commerical Wharf in Newport, Rhode Island. Featured artists this year include Eileen Ivers , the powerful fiddle player from the Bronx who has redefined Irish fiddling in her generation;  Shana Morrison , blues singer and daughter of Van Morrison; and local favorites, Pendragon .  For a full schedule of performers, click here . The festival features five stages and an array of exhibitions, cultural tents, food pavilions and children's activities throughout the weekend.  The festival opens at noon each day. Tickets are $17 per day or $35 for a three day pass, and are available online or at the gate. The festival is located at the Newport Yachting Center in downtown Newport, with easy access to major highways.  For directions click here . For year round Irish cultural activities in New England, visit IrishBoston.org .

Virtuoso fiddler Natalie MacMaster is performing at the Lowell Summer Music Series this Saturday, August 28, 2010, at 7:30 p.m.   Tickets are $21 in advance and are available online , or $25 the day of the concert. The Cape Breton maestro has electrified audiences around the world with her passion and proficiency during live performances.  She authentically interprets the traditions of Cape Breton fiddling while adding a contemporary flair to the jigs, reels and hornpipes of her beloved music. The Boston Irish Tourism Association is raffling off a pair of free tickets to see the show.  To enter the contest, click here .  Winners will be announced on Thursday, August 26 online. The concert takes place at Boarding House Park , 40 French Street, in Lowell, a beautiful outdoor concert venue in the heart of the city. For a full schedule of concerts in the Lowell Summer Music Series, click here . For year round music and cultural events in Massachus...

The 1st annual Bennington Irish Festival in Vermont  is featuring an all-star line-up of Irish musicians and singers.  The festival takes place over Labor Day weekend, September 4-5, at Colgate Park , a beautiful concert venue in Bennington. Among the top performers: Irish singer and Nashville recording artist Maura O'Connell , Irish traditional music masters Seamus Connolly (fiddle) and Jerry O'Sullivan (uilleann pipes), NYC Irish punk rockers Black 47 , the Young Dubliners from Los Angeles, the McPeake Family from Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Irish singer Shana Morrison. Tickets are $30 each day, or $50 for a two-day pass, and can be ordered online . Hours are 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. both days. The Boston Irish Tourism Association is offering a chance to win a free pair of tickets to the festival.  To enter the contest, click here . For full details on the Bennington Irish Festival , click here. For year-round Irish cultural events in New England...

The rollicking Irish rock band, the Saw Doctors , return to the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis, Massachusetts this Friday night, August 13, at 8:00 p.m. The band originated in Tuam, County Galway and has been entertaining audiences ever since with its high energy performances.   And according to band member Davy Carton, the Melody Tent is the group's favorite place to play in America. "We really love it.  We play on a revolving state, it can almost be overwhelming.  You really need to be at the top of your game to play down there," Carton tells the Irish Emigrant newspaper. For a full schedule of concerts at the Cape Cod Melody Tent, click here . For year round Irish cultural activities in Massachusetts, visit IrishMassachusetts.com .

Ronan Tynan , acclaimed Irish tenor, is performing this weekend at the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis,  Cape Cod on Friday, August 6, and the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset on Saturday, August 7, 2010. A member of the legendary group, the Irish Tenors, Tynan has enjoyed a successful solo career in past years, performing at concert venues around the world - and at baseball stadiums such as Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park.   Tickets to the Melody Tent can be ordered online or by calling 508 775-5630. Tickets to the South Shore Music Circus can be ordered online or by calling 781 383-9850. For details on year round music by Irish performers, visit IrishMassachusetts.com .

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston is marking the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy's historic 1960 campaign on Twitter . Library officials are posting daily tweets that capture the day-to-day rigors of the campaign trail. The JFK Library is also hosting a series of exhibits, educational events and public forums to commemorate one of America's most significant political campaigns. For more details on President Kennedy's historical campaign, click here .

Aoife Clancy The first annual   Cape Cod Irish SummerFest   takes place today, July 27 at the Cape Cod Melody Tent , in Hyannis, from 3:00 to 10:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 for the full day, including the evening concert, or $10 for the day (no evening concert), and children's day passes are $5.  These can be purchased through Ticketmaster or by calling 508 775-5630.   Tickets can also be purchased at the gate. The festival is sponsored by the Sons of Erin Cape Cod , a year-round Irish organization in Yarmouth that promotes Irish culture and heritage, and the Cape Cod St. Patrick's Parade , which takes place each year in March to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Among the Irish performers at the Cape Cod Irish SummerFest: Aoife Clancy, the Screaming Orphans and McPeake, as well as gift vendors, cultural displays and food courts.  For a full schedule of events at the Melody Tent, click here . For year-round Irish events throughout Ne...

(Boston) - A spectacle of Irish and Scottish music, dance, culture and fun is about to get underway at the 8th annual Blackstone Valley Celtic Festival at Indian Ranch in Webster Massachusetts.   The festival takes place on Saturday, July 17 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and features a great line-up of Celtic music.  Performers  include Fiddlers 3, Fergus, the Gobshites and Jug O'Punch.  Also appearing: the McInerney School of Irish Step Dancing, and the Worcester Fire Brigade Pipes & Drums. In addition to great music and dance, the all-day festival includes children's activities and entertainment, traditional food and fare, and the infamous Men in Kilts contest.  There is also a Celtic Nations Pavilion and Pub on site. The festival is located on beautiful Webster Lake, where swimming is available all day with a lifeguard on duty. Ticket information : General admission is $15.  Seniors pay $12 and children ages five-eleven pay $5. Acc...

This week the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism released its list of   1,000 Great Places , which includes the Boston Irish Heritage Trail and several other Irish landmarks throughout the state. The Great Places initiative was launched last fall, and accepted nominations from residents of  Massachusetts as well as visitors from around the world who have been to the Bay State. Betsy Wall, executive director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, said,  "There are so many wonderful and exciting places to explore in Massachusetts .   The list of 1000 great places gives visitors the opportunity to see the variety and richness the Commonwealth has to offer." Many of the stops along the Irish Heritage Trail are on the list, including: the Granary Burying Ground,   the Massachusetts State House, Fenway Park, Bunker Hill Monument and Dorchester Heights.   Another landmark of interest to Irish Americans is the John...

The Boston Irish Tourism Association (BITA) has released its annual Travel & Culture Guide, a 24-page compendium of outdoor festivals, concerts, theater and cultural activities taking place in Massachusetts from June through October. The Guide is available for free at tourism centers, museums, hotels and cultural venues across the state.  For a list of outlets, click here .  The Guide includes stories on the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library , the Boston Irish Heritage Trail , and travel stories on Ireland and the Canadian Maritimes . For year-round information on cultural activities in Massachusetts, visit IrishBoston.org . For details on vacationing in Massachusetts, contact the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism .