St. Patrick's Day Weekend Kicks Off in the Hat City This Weekend

DANBURY, CT -- The corned beef is boiling, the dancers are stretching and the fiddlers are rosining up their bows in preparation for two weekends of St. Patrick’s Day fun. The Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center’s small army of volunteers are busy preparing for a full day of festivities, including flag raisings, live Irish music at their club, and dance featuring three local dance schools-- Thorne Academy of Danbury, Ashurst Academy of Newtown, and Doherty-Petri School of Dance of Bethel.

Here is a schedule of this weekend's events:

Friday, March 15, 2019

• 2JAM Acoustic, 8-11 p.m.: Bill and AJ are back at the Danbury Irish Cultural Center for a night of entertainment including classic rock , oldies, folk , originals and some Irish tunes.

Saturday, March 16, 2019

• Bethel St. Patrick's Day Flag Raising, 9 a.m. Grab some friends and a warm woolen sweater and head to the Bethel St. Patrick's Day flag raising on Saturday, March 16th at 9 a.m. at P.T Barnum Square. Then walk over to the Municipal Center, 1 School Street, to raise another Irish flag and join friends and neighbors inside the Municipal Center for coffee, tea, and refreshments.
• Danbury Flag Raising, 12 p.m. Celebrate St. Patrick's Day in the Hat City with local officials, Hibernians, and friends old and new on Saturday, March 16th. First go to Mass at St. Peter's Church at 11 a.m. and then shuffle on over to the flag raising at the Danbury Town Hall at 12 noon. The GDICC will be opening up at 11 a.m. and serving up delicious, tender corned beef dinners and sandwiches from 12-8 p.m. Thorne Academy of Irish Dance will perform at 1 p.m., followed by a mini seisiun (Irish open music circle) from 3-4:15 p.m.. After that, from 4:15-4:45 p.m., there will be an Irish soda bread making demonstration and another mini sesuin from 4:45-5:30 p.m. Irish music will be playing after that in the pub and in the back room.

Sunday, March 17, 2019

• Celebrate St. Patrick's Day at the GDICC on Sunday, March 17th! The GDICC opens at 9 a.m. and dinners and sandwiches will be served from 12 noon to 7 p.m. or until they are sold out. Ashurst Academy of Irish Dance will be dancing at 2 p.m., followed by Steve O'Tree who will be playing from 2:45-5:30 p.m. Chicks 'n Sync will perform from 6-9 p.m.

Don't put away those plaid and green clothes too soon after this weekend-- Danbury's Irish-Americans have a spectacular parade planned for St. Patrick's Day on Sunday, March 24, 2019, the weekend after St Patrick's Day, that promises fun and entertainment for kids and adults of all ages.

Co-chaired by Kevin Hearty, of New Fairfield, and Wendy Mitchell, of Ridgefield, the parade celebrates 20 years in the Hat City and will include over 30 marching units from all over the Nutmeg state. Hearty is a first generation Irish-American and the son of bagpiper Peter Hearty who plays in Celtic Cross Pipes & Drums marching band. Mitchell's family hails from County Cork Ireland, a few generations back, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Foundation and teaches children's theater at the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center.

Both co-chairs are members of the Ancient Order of Hibernains, an Irish-Catholic cultural fraternal organization whose mission is"the preservation and teaching of Irish heritage and culture for our own enrichment and enjoyment as well as the next generation's and for all people who are interested in our heritage with a program of teaching, workshops and cultural events."

The Danbury St. Patrick's Day Parade steps off at 2 p.m. in downtown Danbury on Sunday, March 24, 2019 in front of St. Peter Church, 104 Main Street. The parade continues up Main Street, turns left on West Street and proceeds up to the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center (GDICC), 6 Lake Avenue, Danbury where there will be Irish music, food, and dance.

The parade includes bands, floats, dancers, and marchers. Go to the GDICC afterward for corned beef sandwiches and other food and desserts, music, drinks and a great time. "Pixi Stick," a Welsh "spokes-pony" is a rescue horse from Rising Star Horse Rescue in Redding, will join the parade lineup, and will host a meet-and-greet after the parade at the GDICC.

This year's St. Patrick's Day parade sponsors are as follows:

Gold Sponsors:

• The Irish Echo
• i95FM
• KICKS 105.5 FM
• The Abbey Restaurant and Bar
• Molly Darcy's

Silver Sponsors:

• Panache Car Wash of Danbury
• Natural Lawn Care and Tick Control of Newtown

Bronze Sponsors:

• Savings Bank of Danbury
• Dorello Carpets & Area Rugs
• UK Gourmet
• Southbury Printing Centre

T-Shirt Sponsors:

• Murphy's Pub Newtown
• Terzian & Son
• Modern Plumbing Supply
• Your Peace of Mind Childcare
• K.T.K. Sporting Goods LLC

Goody Bag Sponsors:

• Rising Starr Horse Rescue
• Savers of Brookfield CT
• Danbury Dynamic Dance & Fitness LLC
• Magner Funeral Home
• Fast Eddie's Barber Shop, Danbury

For more information, email parade co-chairs Kevin Hearty or Wendy Mitchell: DanburyIrish@gmail.com.

ABOUT THE GDICC

The goals of our organization are the preservation and teaching of Irish heritage and culture for our own enrichment and enjoyment as well as the next generation's and for all people who are interested in our heritage with a program of teaching, workshops and cultural events. Classes and workshops include Irish Language, Dance, Music, Singing, Drama, Storytelling, Genealogy, Literature, History and Gaelic Sports. Events include Irish language days, concerts, plays, games, lectures, book clubs and monthly seisiúins. Currently, the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Foundation (GDICF) offers weekly Irish language classes at the beginning and intermediate levels; weekly fiddle and whistle classes at the beginning and intermediate levels; weekly céilí and set dancing classes; monthly seisiún; a 1 day traditional acoustic Irish music festival; and an annual 3 day Irish Festival (the Danbury Irish Festival) with a full program of traditional Irish cultural entertainment. Questions? Call (203) 739-0010, email DanburyIrish@gmail.com or visit www.gdicc.org.

Photos: Wendy Mitchell