Festical Venues, Schedule & Tickets
Festival Picks
NEXT Festival will be in March, 2011!
See the 2009 Festival Schedule below
Download the 2009 Festival Program GuideClick icons below to sort schedule by genre, or click here to view the entire schedule
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Festival Pick | ||||||
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Music |  |
Dance |  |
Spoken Word |  |
Food & Beverage |
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Music Workshop |  |
Scotch Tastings |  |
Kids Family |
| DATE / TIME | EVENT | VENUE | TICKET INFO. |
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| WEDNESDAY MARCH 11 | |||
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Wednesday March 11
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Lunch Time Concert with The SplintersLongtime members of The Paperboys, Shannon Saunders (vocals, violin and guitar) and Cam Salay (vocals, guitar and banjo) have been performing and touring together since 1995. As The Splinters they explore a wide range of music from classical to Celtic, rock, pop, country, folk and bluegrass. They’re joined by guest bassist Doug Muir and Graham MacLennan on Highland Pipes. Come on down and help kick-start the festival at this free event! Presented by Cadillac Fairview |
Music Stage - Granville Square Plaza |
Free Event |
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Wednesday March 11
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Opening Night Gala Concert Featuring
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Stadium Club @ Edgewater Casino |
Advance $25
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Back to the Top| DATE / TIME | EVENT | VENUE | TICKET INFO. |
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| THURSDAY MARCH 12 | |||
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Thursday March 12
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Lunch Time Dance with Eire Born Irish DancersThis dynamic group of young performers from the Nora Pickett Irish Dance Academy excels at both traditional and modern Irish set dance, including hard shoe and soft shoe as well as ceili (large group) dance. They’ve performed with Natalie McMaster who’s a fan, and together these dancers create an energetic and awe-inspiring show that’s guaranteed to light up the Plaza at Granville Square! Presented by Cadillac Fairview |
Music Stage - Granville Square Plaza |
Free Event |
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Thursday March 12
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A Whisky Kiss – 4th Annual Scotch TastingSavour the superb, complex flavours of five Scotch Whisky and two Irish Whiskey premium samples, along with tasty appetizers. This popular annual event will be hosted by two knowledgeable spirit educators: Scotch whisky connoisseur Andrew Starritt of Cask Strength, and John Molloy from Ireland who’s based in Vancouver as the Jameson Irish Whiskey Brand Ambassador for Canada. LIMITED SEATING – reserve your spot early! 
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Morrissey Irish House  |
Advance $30
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| DATE / TIME | EVENT | VENUE | TICKET INFO. |
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| FRIDAY MARCH 13 | |||
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Friday March 13
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Lunch Time Concert with Mad TraditionMad Tradition is Roxanna Sabir, a member of the acclaimed fiddling, singing and step-dancing Sabir Sisters, and guitarist Craig McGregor, who’s also toured with the Sabir Sisters as well as Great Northern and Tiller's Folly. Together they create original arrangements of traditional fiddle music with influences from the Celtic, Old Time and Canadian folk repertoires, smoothly switching up from traditional slow and graceful airs to fiery, fast-paced jigs and reels. Presented by Cadillac Fairview |
Music Stage - Granville Square Plaza |
Free Event |
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Friday March 13
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CelticSalsa - Celts & Cubans United!
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Stadium Club @ Edgewater Casino |
Advance $20
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| DATE / TIME | EVENT | VENUE | TICKET INFO. |
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| SATURDAY MARCH 14 | |||
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Saturday March 14 |
BallyhooleyIn Irish Gaelic, ballyhooley means “party town”, and this aptly named band is always keen to celebrate Irish musical traditions, party-style. Playing nine different instruments among them, the band members delight in creating complex arrangements that illustrate the many moods of Irish music. Ballyhooley includes Vanessa Kay (fiddle, mandolin and vocals), Tim Fanning (uilleann pipes, flute, whistles and vocals) and Glenn Buholzer (guitar, mandolins and vocals). Presented by IMPARK |
Music Stage - Celtic Village |
Free Event |
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Saturday March 14
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Fiddle Workshop - Roxanna SabirRoxanna Sabir has toured throughout North America and Europe with the acclaimed fiddling, singing and step-dancing group The Sabir Sisters and has recently formed a duo with Craig McGregor called Mad Tradition. Roxanna is the director of the Harmony Music School, an Irish fiddle school based in Vancouver and Abbotsford, and she’s become one of Canada’s most sought after fiddle instructors. Bring your fiddle and learn from a master! Presented by Tom Lee Music |
Tom Lee Music - City Stage |
Free Event |
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Saturday March 14
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Celtic Guitar Workshop - Craig McGregorCraig McGregor is an accomplished and dynamic guitarist who can play in many styles, making each one his own. He has honed his Celtic guitar chops with the Sabir Sisters, Tiller's Folly and Tim Readman. Craig is currently a member of Mad Tradition with Roxanna Sabir and he’s also an in-demand teacher at Celtic music workshops and events. Presented by Tom Lee Music |
Tom Lee Music - City Stage |
Free Event |
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Saturday March 14
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Battle of the Bards - A Literary Pub Crawl and Grand FinaleThree cheers! The Battle of the Bards is back for 2009, whisking you along on a flying tour of Granville Street’s best Irish pubs. Dynamic spoken word artists Sean McGarragle, Duncan Shields and Warren Dean Fulton channel W.B. Yeats, Oscar Wilde and Robbie Burns respectively as they duke it out to be crowned “top bard” in an on-the-move poetry slam-style contest, judged by members of the audience in each venue. The crawl culminates at The Cellar, where the bards will do final “battle” with Vancouver’s first official poet laureate George McWhirter presiding over the event. Expect plenty of artistic license as the performers offer their own hilarious perspectives on the masters with the help of improv fiddler Caitlan Read. Who will be this year’s “top bard”? Why don’t you be the judge! |
Pub Crawl Open Mic & Finale Event |
FREE |
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Saturday March 14
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King o' Men - A Robbie Burns Stage Play & 250th Birthday TributeFeaturing John Hardie & Rob MacDonald A literary and musical costumed event that will send you spinning back in time to the glorious days of Scotland’s most legendary poet and lyricist. 2009 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robbie Burns, a cultural icon in Scotland and around the world. This tribute features Rob MacDonald, a local piper, Chairman of “A Swarm of Drones” and a Burns aficionado. He’ll be telling the fascinating story of the life and times of Burns and playing some of the tunes Robert set words to. His performance will be followed by King o’ Men, an exciting new one-man play directed by writer and actor John Hardie and making its Vancouver premiere at CelticFest. The production imagines one of Burns’ closest and oldest friends reminiscing to a curious journalist following the news of the great poet’s final passing. This show will appeal to loyal fans of Scotland's favourite literary son as well as those who are new to Burns’ story and works. Here's what Chris White, Artistic Director of the Ottawa Folk Festival, had to say about a recent production of the play at the National Arts Centre: "With minimal set and few props, Hardie delivered the piece with enormous skill and subtlety, somehow managing to be humorous, informative and intensely moving all at once. The performance, which elicited an overwhelmingly positive audience response, is one that I will be forever grateful to have witnessed." |
Tom Lee Music - Music Hall |
$12 at the Door |
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Saturday March 14
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North Shore Celtic EnsembleThe North Shore Celtic Ensemble is a culturally diverse group of gifted young North Shore musicians, performing Celtic-based orchestral and folk music on string, wind and percussion instruments. Ensemble Director Claude Giguère has 20 years of experience as a professional violinist and teacher, and the group’s Artistic Director is Jay Knutson, a founding member of Spirit of the West with 25 years of experience in performance and musical workshops. Come and experience this ensemble’s youthful energy and original arrangements! Presented by IMPARK |
Music Stage - Celtic Village |
Free Event |
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Saturday March 14
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PastichePastiche blends its own original material with traditional folk songs and tunes from France and Quebec, and the result is an artful mix of contemporary and past influences. Boris Favre (piano, lead vocals) has toured extensively throughout North America and Europe for a decade as bassist for the internationally acclaimed Celtic-funk band Mad Pudding, and he’s now with the Shona Le Mottée Band. Allan Dionne (accordion, vocals) has toured worldwide as the drummer for Mad Pudding and also currently plays with Shona LeMottée. Rich Sobel joins them on fiddle for this sure-to-be entertaining show. Presented by IMPARK |
Music Stage - Celtic Village |
Free Event |
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Saturday March 14
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Piano Accordion Workshop - Mary RossVictoria’s Mary Ross has been involved with music and dancing since the age of five, and her strong ties to Celtic music are strengthened by her own Scottish heritage. She performs at Scottish country dances, workshops, ceilis and weddings throughout the Pacific Northwest. She’s known as a Feis musician, providing music at competitions for dancers of all ages and categories. Ross continues to instruct privately and she’s also currently involved with the organization of Victoria 2009 “Accordions by the Sea Festival” scheduled for June 26-28. Presented by Tom Lee Music |
Tom Lee Music - City Stage |
Free Event |
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Saturday March 14
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The WhiskeyDicksWhether this cheeky 5-piece band is playing blazing fiddle tunes or stomping out classics and original Celtic tunes, they are sure to please. The WhiskeyDicks have filled dance floors and beer glasses in some of Canada’s most prestigious venues. Here’s how they describe their music: “…varying from the edgier Celtic sounds of the Dropkick Murphy's to the radical intensified attacks of the infamous Pogues - and even some European influence as well. Name it we have tried it.” Sounds like the recipe for a ripping good time! Presented by IMPARK |
Music Stage - Celtic Village |
Free Event |
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Saturday March 14
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BIG St. Pat's Night Out!
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The Vogue Theatre |
Advance $25
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| DATE / TIME | EVENT | VENUE | TICKET INFO. |
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| SUNDAY MARCH 15 | |||
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Sunday March 15
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Pre-Parade Show – Featuring Copper SkyCopper Sky has been pleasing audiences all around the Lower Mainland with their lively style of music ever since 2002. Paul Evenden first discovered Irish music in the late ‘70’s. He starting out playing guitar, then added the whistle and bodhran to an increasing variety of instruments. Fiddle player Jennie Bice’s various recordings and concerts span many genres along with Celtic styles, including Cuban, Latin, jazz, rockabilly, classical, country, and Cajun. They’ll be in the good company of singer, guitarist, mandolin and bohdran-player Ernie Higgins. Presented by IMPARK |
Music Stage - Celtic Village |
Free Event |
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Sunday March 15
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Along Georgia St.- from Broughton to Howe St. |
Free Event |
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Sunday March 15
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West Coast FiddlersCheck out the next generation of great Celtic fiddlers! The West Coast Fiddlers were founded by Sarah and Roxanna Sabir, and have been together since they performed five years ago at the Orpheum Theatre with the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra of Edinburgh. The WCF is made up entirely of school-age children and it has grown into a skilled and energetic group that delivers toe-tapping sets of everything from Celtic music to swing. Presented by IMPARK |
Music Stage - Celtic Village |
Free Event |
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Sunday March 15
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Irish Bouzouki Workshop – Paul O’BrienThe Irish bouzouki (colloquially, the "zouk") is a relative newcomer to Irish music. It’s the offspring of the popular Greek instrument, and only made its way to Ireland in the late 1960’s. Today it exists as a uniquely Irish instrument, with its design modified from the traditional Greek model. Ireland’s Andy Irvine and Dónal Lunny popularized it, and it can now be found in the hands of high profile non-Irish musicians too, including Steve Earle and Patty Larkin. It’s a favourite of Victoria singer-songwriter Paul O’Brien, and he’ll share his enthusiasm and expertise in this interactive session. Presented by Tom Lee Music |
Tom Lee Music – City Stage |
Free Event |
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Sunday March 15
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The Great Big Session
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Tom Lee Music - Music Hall |
$5.00 at the door |
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Sunday March 15
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Celtic Harp Workshop - Alys HoweAward-winning Alys Howe is unique among Celtic harpists in North America. She was the first overseas harp student accepted to the prestigious Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, and went on to obtain her Masters from the University of Limerick. Alys is fascinated by where the harp is going today, and has adopted influences from Cape Breton to jazz and ragtime into her own contemporary soundscape. Alys shares her love of the harp with students world-wide, and she’ll open your ears to the diverse and beautiful sounds of this fascinating instrument. Presented by Tom Lee Music |
Tom Lee Music - City Stage |
Free Event |
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Sunday March 15
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Bones & Spoons Workshop - Paul Evenden with guest fiddler Jennie Bice"Bones" are just about the oldest known Irish percussion instruments. Their sound is produced by cradling and balancing two bones vertically in one hand, then rotating and waving the forearm and the hand to allow the bones to swing and strike each other. Don’t miss this chance to see how “bones” player Paul Evendon actually pulls off such a startling feat of dexterity – and then he’ll show you how to do it! Presented by Tom Lee Music |
Tom Lee Music - City Stage |
Free Event |
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Sunday March 15
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Mad TraditionMad Tradition is Roxanna Sabir, a member of the acclaimed fiddling, singing and step-dancing Sabir Sisters, and guitarist Craig McGregor, who’s also toured with the Sabir Sisters as well as Great Northern and Tiller's Folly. Together they create original arrangements of traditional fiddle music with influences from the Celtic, Old Time and Canadian folk repertoires, smoothly switching up from traditional slow and graceful airs to fiery, fast-paced jigs and reels. Presented by IMPARK |
Music Stage - Celtic Village |
Free Event |
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Sunday March 15
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The Alys & Seumas ShowThis is another unusual collaboration in the CelticFest tradition. Canadian harper Alys Howe and American harper Seumas Gagne will present a collaborative performance of traditional Scottish Gaelic music. Both accomplished harpers with a deep love of traditional Celtic music, Alys and Seumas will perform lively Scottish and Irish dance tunes played on the clarsach (traditional Celtic harp) as well as Scottish Gaelic love songs, work songs, and vocal dance music (puirt-a-beul). |
Music Stage - Celtic Village |
Free Event |
Festival Venues
| Outdoor Venues | |
 Celtic Village |
 Granville Square Plaza – Performance Stage |
| Official Festival Venues | |
 Stadium Club at Edgewater Casino |
 Doolin’s Irish Pub |
 Ceili’s Irish Pub & Restaurant |
The (Irish) Cellar |
 Tom Lee Music |
Morrissey Irish House |
Tom Lee Music |
 Johnnie Fox's Irish Snug |
 The Vogue Theatre |
 UnWine'd on Howe |