Festical Venues, Schedule & Tickets

Spoken Word Events

NEXT Festival will be in March, 2011!

See the 2009 Festival Schedule below

Wednesday, March 11th
Thursday, March 12th
Friday, March 13th
Saturday, March 14th
Sunday, March 15th

Festival Venues

Download the 2009 Festival Program Guide

Click icons below to sort schedule by genre, or click here to view the entire schedule

Festival Pick
Music	Dance	Spoken Word	Food & Beverage
Music Workshop	Scotch Tastings	Kids Family

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DATE / TIME	EVENT	VENUE	TICKET INFO.
SATURDAY MARCH 14
Saturday March 14 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM (suitable for children 5 to 10 years old)	Irish Storytelling - Philomena Jordan Born and raised in the West of Ireland, Philomena Jordan has been blessed with the Irish gift for storytelling, poetry reciting and spontaneous singing. She draws her listeners into tales of her own childhood, interwoven with the colourful folklore of her native heritage. She has entertained audiences at house concerts, seniors’ homes, schools, festivals and through TV appearances, and her story-spinning is irresistible.	Tent - Celtic Village Vancouver Art Gallery, Howe & Georgia St.	Free Event
Saturday March 14 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM	Battle of the Bards - A Literary Pub Crawl and Grand Finale Three 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 Round 1 - 2:00 PM @ Doolin's Irish Pub Round 2 – 2:45 PM @ Ceili’s Irish Pub Round 3 – 3:30 PM @ Johnnie Fox's Irish Snug No admission charge @ Pub Crawl venues Open Mic & Finale Event The Cellar, 1006 Granville St. @ Nelson 4:25 PM to 6:00 PM	FREE $5.00 at the door for Open Mic & Finale
Saturday March 14 2 shows: 2:00 PM & 4:00 PM	King o' Men - A Robbie Burns Stage Play & 250th Birthday Tribute Featuring 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 3rd floor - 929 Granville St.	$12 at the Door
Saturday March 14 Doors 7:00 PM Show 8:00 PM	BIG St. Pat's Night Out! – Featuring Ashley MacIsaac Opening Act: Lúnasa When Ashley MacIsaac is on the bill you know the venue is going to rock! This internationally famous fiddling wizard has an instinctive talent for connecting with an audience. Acknowledged as a musical pioneer, he takes traditional fiddling conventions in startling new directions. He has performed at Carnegie Hall six times, opened for Sting at a May Day concert in Rome and appeared at the acclaimed Celtic Colours International Festival. MacIsaac has become a Vancouver CelticFest favourite, and for sheer entertainment value this is the man to see and hear. This annual St. Pat’s party also features Ireland’s famed acoustic ensemble Lúnasa. In just over a decade this all-star quintet (boasting ex-members of the Waterboys, the Sharon Shannon Band and Riverdance) has delivered hundreds of brilliant performances. They’ve won over audiences in the US, the UK, Europe, Japan and Australia with their signature mix of storytelling, musical fire and originality. Now they’re set to conquer Vancouver! Plus an opening set from the hilarious Irish-American comic Maureen Langan, the official host of CelticFest 2009. 13 year old Quinn Bachand (guitarist) and Allan Dionne (of Pastiche - percussionist) will be accompanying Ashley tonight.	The Vogue Theatre 918 Granville St.	Advance $25 $32 at door Service charges apply.

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DATE / TIME	EVENT	VENUE	TICKET INFO.
SUNDAY MARCH 15
Sunday March 15 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM	Irish Storytelling - Philomena Jordan Born and raised in the West of Ireland, Philomena Jordan has been blessed with the Irish gift for storytelling, poetry reciting and spontaneous singing. She draws her listeners into tales of her own childhood, interwoven with the colourful folklore of her native heritage. She has entertained audiences at house concerts, seniors’ homes, schools, festivals and through TV appearances, and her story-spinning is irresistible.	Tent - Celtic Village Vancouver Art Gallery, Howe & Georgia St.	Free Event (suitable for kids 5 to 10 years old)

DATE / TIME

EVENT

VENUE

TICKET INFO.

SUNDAY MARCH 15

Sunday March 15
2:00 PM – 2:30 PM

Irish Storytelling - Philomena Jordan

Born and raised in the West of Ireland, Philomena Jordan has been blessed with the Irish gift for storytelling, poetry reciting and spontaneous singing. She draws her listeners into tales of her own childhood, interwoven with the colourful folklore of her native heritage. She has entertained audiences at house concerts, seniors’ homes, schools, festivals and through TV appearances, and her story-spinning is irresistible.

Tent - Celtic Village
Vancouver Art Gallery, Howe & Georgia St.

Free Event (suitable for kids 5 to 10 years old)

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Festival Venues

Outdoor Venues
Celtic Village Performance Stage Vancouver Art Gallery Cnr. Georgia & Howe Street	Granville Square Plaza – Performance Stage 200 Granville St. @ Cordova

Official Festival Venues
Stadium Club at Edgewater Casino 750 Pacific Blvd South (at Plaza of Nations)	Doolin’s Irish Pub 654 Nelson St.@ Granville St.
Ceili’s Irish Pub & Restaurant 670 Smithe St. @ Granville Home of the Official CelticFest Pre-Parade Breakfast	The (Irish) Cellar 1006 Granville St. @ Nelson St.
Tom Lee Music City Stage Lobby Level - 929 Granville St.	Morrissey Irish House 1227 Granville St.
Tom Lee Music Music Hall 3rd floor - 929 Granville St.	Johnnie Fox's Irish Snug 1033 Granville St.
The Vogue Theatre 918 Granville St.	UnWine'd on Howe Wine & Tapas Lounge 1180 Howe St. @ Davie St.