The 17th annual Northern Roots Festival once again offers daytime workshops, a Saturday evening concert, and Sunday pub sessions to delight lovers of traditional northern musical traditions, which this year include Irish, English, French Canadian, Scandinavian, and New England.
Organizers say this cornerstone of the traditional music calendar in New England begins Saturday, Jan. 27, from noon to 5 p.m., as the Brattleboro Music Center hosts workshops on a variety of topics.
Attendees can learn more about everything from Fiddle styles and harmony singing to Irish set dancing and tunes from around the Northern Hemisphere. There will also be a special session introducing participants to the materials in the Tony Barrand Library, a selection of which is currently on display at the BMC.
On Saturday evening at the BMC, a 7:30 p.m. concert will feature the Irish music and dance of Eight Feet Tall (Rebecca Gowan, Dan Accardi, Armand Aromin, Jackie O'Riley); the Scandinavian stylings of Triga (Eric Boodman, Anna Breger, Yaniv Yacoby); and local performers Jake Grieco and Cedar Stanistreet, Amanda Witman, and Traddleboro 2024 (Laurel Swift, Lissa Schneckenburger, Liana Moskowitz).
The Festival continues on Sunday, Jan. 28, with sessions including a Pub Sing, a French-Canadian Session, and an Irish Session, all hosted downtown at the River Garden Marketplace from 1 to 5:30 p.m.
Tickets are $35 Adult Day, $25 Adult Evening, and $50 Adult Combo (for day workshops and evening concert). Youth tickets are $10 Day, $10 Evening, and $15 Combo. Sunday sessions are by donation. Concert seats are limited, and advance purchase is strongly advised.
To reserve your tickets now, go online at bmcvt.org, call the BMC at 802-257-4523 or email [email protected].
This The Arts item was submitted to The Commons.