Club Passim Unveils Lineup For 21st Annual Boston Celtic Music Festival

The 21st annual Boston Celtic Music Festival will return to Club Passim and Harvard Square, with added venues like the Crystal Ballroom, The Burren, and The Rockwell on January 11-14, 2024. The festival will showcase Greater Boston's deep tradition of music, song, and dance from Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton, and other Celtic communities. BCMFest features traditional acts and others that draw on contemporary sounds and ideas, full-time, professional touring acts, and local session musicians, highlighting performers from across the generations. Tickets are on sale now at passim.org/bcmfest. 

This year, the festival will include the award-winning and highly acclaimed Québec band Le Vent du Nord, performing at the Nightcap Finale on Saturday, January 13 at the Crystal Ballroom. The group's vast repertoire draws from both traditional sources and original compositions. At the same time, their highly rhythmic and soulful music, rooted in the Celtic diaspora, is enhanced with a broad range of global influences.

Among the acts confirmed to perform are: Joey Abarta, Jenna Moynihan, Neil Pearlman & the Wallbreakers, Mariel Vandersteel, Casey Murray & Molly Tucker, Triga, Cape Breton, Highland Dance Boston, Ramblxr, Boston Scottish Fiddle Orchestra, Scottish Fish, Pine Tree Flyers, Firefly Landing, Eight Feet Tall, Isabel Oliart and Friends, The Carroll Sisters with Sammy Wetstein, Elias Cardoso, Medford All-Star Ceili Band, Jinty Mcgrath, Calico, Erin Hogan & Jimmy Kelly, No Seconds, Emma Azelborn, Elizabeth and Ben Anderson, Sarah Ann Hajjar, and Sarah Collins & Jonathan Vocke.

"Considered to be the epicenter of Celtic music in America, Boston has maintained its historical reputation of being home to some of the most prolific Celtic musicians in the country. The Boston Celtic Music Festival represents the heart of our vibrant local Celtic music scene," said Summer McCall, BCMFest Director. “This year we're delighted to be at both our home venue of Club Passim in Harvard Square, and to be expanding into Davis Square for Friday night and Saturday day and night at the Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre, The Burren, and The Rockwell."

Festival highlights include:

• The First Round concert on Thursday, January 11, at 7pm provides a night of the more traditional sounds of Celtic music in Boston. This evening's concert will take place at Club Passim with performances from Joey Abarta, Jenna Moynihan, and Neil Pearlman & The Wallbreakers.

• Friday, January 12 at 7pm is the Roots and Branches Concert. Guests can experience the dynamic sounds and diverse styles of Boston's Celtic music community, with music from Mariel Vandersteel, Triga, and Casey Murray & Molly Tucker.

• BCMFest: Boston Urban Ceilidh will occur on Friday, January 12 at 7:30pm at the Crystal Ballroom. The night will feature participatory and social dances from the Cape Breton and Scottish traditions, all with live music. 

• BCMFest: Dayfest offers over six hours of entertainment from mid-morning until 5 pm on Saturday, January 13. All events will occur in Davis Sq. in Somerville at The Crystal Ballroom, The Burren, and The Rockwell.

• BCMFest: Nightcap with Le Vent Du Nord - Capping BCMFest 2024 on Saturday, January 13, at 8pm at the Crystal Ballroom will be a performance by the award-winning and highly acclaimed band Le Vent du Nord.

• Enjoy some fine food in a relaxed live Celtic music atmosphere on Sunday, January 14, at the BCMFest Brunch at Club Passim from 10am - 2pm. 

• Festival performers will lead workshops on Sunday, January 14, at the Passim School of Music at 26 Church Street in Harvard Sq. More details are coming soon.

BCMFest takes place from January 11-14. All festival details including performances, times, and locations are available at passim.org/bcmfest. 

About Passim

The mission of Passim is to provide truly exceptional and interactive live musical experiences for both performers and audiences, to nurture artists at all stages of their career, and to build a vibrant music community. Passim does so through their legendary listening venue, music school, artist grants and outreach programs. As a nonprofit since 1994, Passim carries on the heritage of our predecessors-the historic Club 47 (1958-1968) and for-profit Passim (1969-1994). We cultivate a diverse mix of musical traditions, where the emphasis is on the relationship between performers and audience and teachers and students. Located in Harvard Square, Passim serves Cambridge and the broader region by featuring local, national and International Artists. Our ultimate goal is to help the performance arts flourish and thereby enrich the lives of members of our community. For a complete schedule, visit www.passim.org.

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