Irish festivities continue after holiday at Albert Music Hall

The Irish festivities don’t have to come to an end after St. Patrick’s Day. The Pinelands Cultural and Historical Preservation Society will honor the beauty of the Emerald Isle through its music and dance during the organization’s annual Irish Country and Bluegrass Music Show. The concert will be held at the Albert Music Hall on Saturday, March 23, between 7:30 and 11:30 p.m. Doors will open one hour before showtime.

Photo via Albert Music Hall
A number of live musical performances will take
place at the Albert Music Hall during the annual
Irish Country and Bluegrass Music Show.

“It’s one of our most popular shows of the year,” said Elaine Everett, a spokeswoman for the Albert Music Hall. “We always have it the Saturday after St. Patrick’s Day because there’s a lot of competition on St. Patrick’s Day. A lot of bars and restaurants have special things. But we get a very large audience because of it, too,” she added.

The event will be held in Waretown at the 350-seat auditorium complete with state-of-the-art equipment. An Irish greeter will welcome concertgoers at the entrance. Candy coins and good-luck wishes will be offered to everyone who stops in.

Performers are expected to include Ballyhaunis Step Dancers; Church Street Revival; Sky Road; Piney Blues; J & E Company; and Clan Suibhne. The Pickin’ Shed, as well as an improvised pickin’ space on the Hall’s porch and parking lot, will be available for musicians to meet and play.

Tickets cost $5 for adults and $1 for children younger than 12. Light refreshments and souvenirs will be available for purchase. Fees go toward maintaining the hall, as well as the many scholarships and charitable donations the organization gives throughout the year.

“We’re a completely grassroots, volunteer organization,” said Everett. “We travel the United States constantly going to shows like this, but we have never seen another organization that’s self-supported and does so much with scholarships and all. So we’re very unique,” she emphasized.

Live country, bluegrass and old-time music concerts are held at the hall every Saturday night at 7:30. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

A Ladies of Country and Bluegrass Music Show will be held on Saturday, June 29. All bands will feature female leads, including Heidi Olsen of Heidi Olsen and the Night; Erin Ricca from Erin Ricca and the Ocean County Cowboys; Laurie and Alice Dorisio from Warm Hearted Country; Barbara Muccie and Judi Parker of Past Times; Cindy Giejda of Cindy G. and the Rising River Band; Wendy Bartel and Jeannie O’Neill from Firelight; and Melanie Wagner of Melanie and Sonny.

For more information, visit alberthall.org, or call 609-971-1593.