Ottawa based Celtic Band SEARSON will be headlining the musical entertainment at this year’s 30A St. Patrick’s Day Festival March 14. SEARSON has been described as “Fiddles on steroids” The group has toured throughout Canada, the United States, Germany, Denmark, Portugal, Switzerland and the Caribbean including playing with The Chieftains. The high energy won’t stop there as Texas based Celtic Rock Band CLEGHORN will also return. If you mixed ZZ Top with The Hobbit soundtrack, it might sound something like CLEGHORN. Their music mixes original folk/rock songwriting with high energy Celtic fiddle and bagpipe tunes.
The festivities start at 12 Noon at Gulf Place with the parade at 2 p.m.. The parade expects a record number of floats and parade entries, in all shapes and sizes. This year’s Grand Marshal is Catherine O’ Sullivan who hails from Cork Ireland. The Best in Parade perpetual trophy is up for grabs for the best decorated cars trucks or floats. Festival goers can purchase commemorative t-shirts, experience arts and crafts, including knitted jewelry and blacksmithing, wood carving, face painting, and of course a variety of food and drinks. A few sponsor spots, vendor table and tent spaces are still available, and businesses are encouraged to be a sponsor, details at www.30aparade.com.
The event will entertain the kids with the “wee folk” area containing costume prizes for fairy princesses and pirates, along with “Pot O’ Gold” treasure hunts, face painting and much more. The top notch Celtic entertainment will also be on hand all day starting with Dismal Creek who will pay tribute to bluegrass roots with Irish jigs, reels and brilliant banjo picking double base riffs. Proceeds support breast cancer 501c Fore Her golf tournament and Alaqua Animal Refuge.
Ticket prices begin at – $10 for adults, kids are $5 each and VIP Whiskey/Beer tasting tickets are $35 each, available now at www.30aparade.com.