Can you carve one of these bad boys? Test your punkin-carvin' mettle at Molly-O-Ween.
We’re heading into a big, fat honkin’ weekend, including one big fall festival, not-to-be-missed concerts, and a couple of really fun benefits.
All the Saturday action is concentrated into the nighttime hours. You may have a very hard time making up your mind.
Here’s what’s on tap:
- Two of the most talented and creative Irish traditional musicians appear together in a Coatesville Traditional Irish Music Series concert. Breanndán Begley and Caoimhin Ó Raghallaigh (Kwee-veen O-Rye-allah, if you want to say it right) take the stage at 8 p.m. at the Coatesville Cultural Society (a very cozy venue indeed), 143 East Lincoln Highway in Coatesville. For tickets, contact Frank Dalton at (610) 486-2220.
- The Spring Hill House Concert Series hosts Aoife Clancy—she of the amazing voice and hair—starting at 8 p.m. You may know her from her stint with Cherish the Ladies. The daughter of Bobby Clancy, Aoife (“EE-fa”) sings pretty much everything. For you singers, there’s a workshop before the concert. The show takes place in one of our favorite (and most intimate) settings, the home of Bob Hendren and Bette Conway, 136 East Third Street in Lansdale. For details, call (215) 368-0525.
- Blackthorn takes the stage, starting at 8 p.m., for a beef and beer benefit for St. Laurence Parish, 8245 West Chester Pike in Upper Darby. Tickets are 40 bucks per person, including food, beer and set-ups. The boys of Blackthorn never fail to entertain. You just know you’ll be on your feet the whole night. To order tickets, call Ann Char at (610) 789-6960 or e-mail her at achar@stlaurence.org.
- Also Saturday night, The Martin Family Band returns for their third year in an Evening of Celtic Music, Song & Dance at Bucks County Community College Gateway Auditorium, 275 Swamp Road in Newtown, Bucks County. Showtime is 7:30.
- If you want to hear a very talented Scot (Irish, Scottish … we don’t discriminate), lend an ear to singer-songwriter Brian McNeill (founder of the Battlefield Band) Saturday at 8 p.m. at Lower Brandywine Presbyterian Church, 101 Old Kennett Road, in Wilmington. This is a presentation of the Green Willow Folk Club, and they know how to put on a show.
Sunday is almost as crowded:
- If you’re a golfer, you can start your Sunday on the links and help the Philadelphia Irish Center at the same time. The Irish Center will host a benefit golf outing at Walnut Lane Golf Course, 800 Walnut Lane (near Henry Avenue), with tee time set for 9:30. Call John Nolan at (215) 843-8051 for details. The fee is $60, but it includes a lot: greens fee, cart, awards, luncheon & on-course refreshments. And plan on Saturday night Mass.
- Later in the day, you’re likely to run into lots of your Irish compatriots at Molly-O-Ween, a free (we like “free”) festival at Molly Maguire’s Pub, Main and Wood Streets in Lansdale, Sunday from 1 to 8 p.m. Carve pumpkins! Slip into your Halloween costume, and win a prize! (If you’re looking for ideas, I read a story predicting Lady Gaga and the cast of “Jersey Shore” will be the most popular costumes this year. But I digress, and the mental images are just too disturbing to continue.) There’ll be plenty of great food and drink, of course, plus music by Seamus Kennedy, Celtic Spirit, the Doc Freeman Band, and a local bagpipe band. The Timoney irish Dancers will also take the stage throughout the day.
- Later on that night, Breanndán Begley and Caoimhin Ó Raghallaigh will appear in concert at the Irish Center, 6815 Emlen Street in the Mount Airy section of town, starting at 8 p.m. So if you miss them at Coatesville, you get a second chance. Better yet, see them both nights.
And that, folks, is just the weekend!
Inis Nua Theatre Company’s presentation of the Leo Butler play “The Early Bird” continues throughout the week at The Playground Theatre at the Adrienne, 2030 Sansom St., in Center City. Show times vary. Check the Web site for details.
