CALENDAR

NEWPORT, R.I. – Friends of Ballard Park will host their third installment of Movies on the Rocks at the Quarry Meadow in Ballard Park on Friday, Sept. 4. On screen? The teenage vampire hit, Twilight. Rated PG-13. Bring your beach chairs, blankets, and picnic dinners. Show begins at dusk. The park is located at the corner of Wickham and Hazard roads. Parking is available at Roger’s High School.

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NEWPORT, R.I. – Join boat owners, their crews, enthusiasts, friends, and supporters of the Museum of Yachting and the International Yacht Restoration School to celebrate the opening reception for this year’s Classic Yacht Regatta weekend.

Taking place Friday, Sept. 4 from 6 -8 p.m. at the Museum of Yachting at Fort Adams State Park.
Enjoy complimentary sparkling wine and hors d’oeuvres, live New Orleans style music by Ravers band members, The Swamp Angels, and a New England style chowder bar. Tickets cost $25 per person. Contact Cristina Marfuggi at (401) 848-5777, extension 202, or email her at cmarfuggi@iyrs.org for more information.

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NEWPORT, R.I. – Celebrate all things Irish at the Newport Yachting Center for the 12th Annual Newport Irish Festival.

Taking place rain or shine on Labor Day Weekend, Saturday, September 5 -  Monday, September 7, along the historic Newport waterfront, the event is one of the largest festivals of its kind in the country, and will feature five stages of continuous live music, song and step dancing, including a new, covered Main Stage concert venue complete with 400 seats.

It’s a celebration of all things Irish at the Newport Yachting Center.

Gates  open at 11 a.m. each day and close at 9 p.m. on Saturday, 8 p.m. on Sunday and 6 p.m. on Monday. Ticket prices for Saturday are $18/$15 in advance for adults and $15/$12 in advance for both Sunday and Monday. On Monday college students who present a valid college student ID at the box office will still receive a discounted ticket of $12.  The Festival is FREE for children under the age of 12 as long as an adult accompanies them.

Tickets are available through the Newport Yachting Center Box Office at (401) 846-1600 or you can order on-line by going to www.newportwaterfrontevents.com.

A full list of performers follows below:

“Must See Monday,” September 7th promises to be a day not to miss as the Screaming Orphans, The Makem and Spain Brothers and The Glengarry Bhoys, among others, will all perform.

The Screaming Orphans are the dynamic, multi-instrumental sister group from Ireland’s County Donegal who continue to gain popularity due to their infectious blend of edgy melodic rock, pop harmonies and electric live shows.  They will be singing a number of tunes off their latest CD’s, entitled East 12^th Street and Belle’s Isle.

The Makem Brothers and Spain Brothers include Shane Makem, Conor Makem and Rory Makem, the three sons of the “Godfather of Irish Music,” Tommy Makem.  The brothers were born in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland, and grew up playing in various bands throughout high school and at the colleges they attended in New England.  They have teamed up with New Hampshire’s Spain Brothers, Liam and Mickey Spain, to rave reviews while preserving and advancing folk music from Ireland, Scotland, Wales and New England.  Their latest release is entitled, Home Away From Home.

The Glengarry Bhoys, founded in 1998, is a Celtic fusion band blending traditional Scottish and Irish music with modern Celtic and contemporary sounds. The band’s name reflects their heritage and the place from which they hail: Glengarry County, Ontario Canada.  Still leading the band are original members, Graham Wright (lead vocals, guitars, tin whistle) and Gaye Stuart “Ziggy” Leroux (vocals, drums, percussion, bodhran).  The band also features bass, fiddle and pipes and recently released its ninth CD entitled, Mill Sessions.

On Saturday, September 5 and Sunday, September 6 the variety of performers will include Eileen Ivers, The Killdares, Black 47 and Town Pants.

A nine-time All-Ireland Fiddle Champion, musical star of Riverdance and founding member of “Cherish the Ladies,” Eileen Ivers has established herself as the pre-eminent exponent of the Irish fiddle in the world today.  The Irish Times says, “She electrifies the crowd with a dazzling show of virtuoso playing,” Her recent release entitled Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul, continues to display why Ivers is hailed as one of the great innovators and pioneers in the Celtic and World music genres.

Originally formed in 1996, The Killdares have come to be known as one of the hottest, cutting edge Celtic bands in music today.  Blending traditional Celtic playing skills, power-pop accessibility, and straight up rock ‘n’ roll hooks, the Texas-based band created a fresh new sound that’s blended with enough commercial edge to be instantly recognizable, always engaging, and appealing to fans of all ages. 
 Expanding the definition of “Celtic”, The Killdares use the unconventional pairing of six-time National Fiddle Champion Roberta Rast and bagpipes with the wail of electric guitar, bass and drums to create brilliant arrangements of traditional tunes and original compositions.  In 2008 the band reached new heights with its 5th independently released and produced album, Secrets of the Day.  This album has been described as “dark, captivating and experimental,” and combines electronic, acoustic and other unique instrumentation to create an exciting sound.

Black 47 often takes a political stand with its thoroughly Irish brand of rock ‘n’ roll, with songs covering topics from the Northern Ireland conflict to civil rights and urban unrest in contemporary New York.  The band earned their chops playing the pub scene in Manhattan and self-producing their first indie record, Black 47, before Ric Ocasek, formerly of the Cars, took notice and helped them gain mainstream attention with their second album, Fire of Freedom.  The band features your basic drum, bass and electric guitar, as well as saxophone, trombone, pennywhistle Uilleann pipes, flute and bodhran.

The Vancouver, Canada-based band, The Town Pants, combines aspects of Irish traditional, acoustic pop, roots Americana, even Mexican and Australian influences, to create their own unique, fiery brand of “West Coast Celtic.”  The Keogh brothers, Dave and Duane, lead the band with vocals and instrumentation with banjo and acoustic guitar.  The rest of instruments that can be heard in the band include tin whistle, harmonica, fiddle, percussion and bass.

Other performers at the Festival throughout the long weekend include:  Pendragon, Celtic Clan,Calley McGrane & The Exiles, Donal O’Shaughnessy, Publicans, Seamus Kennedy, The Shananagans, Fergus, The Clan Ross Pipe Band, Dermot Henry, the AOH Pipe and Drum Band, Killaloe and the Nevin Academy Dancers.

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NEWPORT, R.I. – Join the Museum of Yachting for the 30th Annual Classic Yacht Regatta, sponsored by Panerai.  The regatta will be the convergence of three events: the New England Huckins rendezvous, the 30th Annual Classic Yacht Regatta (CYR), as well as hosting the 6mR North Americans as they tune up for their big event, the 2009 World Cup.

A parade of sail beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday will cap the weekend of racing. Best viewing spots can be found at Fort Adams or along Bowen’s and Bannister’s Wharves.

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NEWPORT, R.I. – Swing by Easton’s Beach to bid farewell to summer from 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Free carousel rides, a children’s show, raffles, food and concessions are all planned. Call 845-5810 for more.

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NEWPORT, R.I. – Local band Cadence King headlines this family-friendly event at King Park on Wellington Avenue from 2 – 8 p.m.  Lou’s Hotdogs will be there. So will band Rockin’ Soul Horns. A bonfire on the beach caps off the day.

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NEWPORT, R.I.  – Enjoy the sounds of the Night Life Orchestra at the Newport Art Museum’s PM Musical Picnic. The performance begins at 6 p.m. on the lawn outside the museum at 76 Bellevue Ave.

Attendees are encourage to bring a blanket, lawn chairs and a picnic to enjoy on the museum grounds. Admission for the shows is $5 for individual Museum members, $10 for individual non-members $10 for member households, and $15 for non-member households. (No advance reservations, and pets are not allowed. ) Listen to WADK 1540 AM for further cancellation notices. Visit www.NewportArtMuseum.org or call (401) 848-8200 for general information. The Newport Art Museum’s once-monthly 2009 PM Musical Picnics are sponsored by NewportFed.

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NEWPORT, R.I. – Take a stroll through to over 24 art galleries in downtown Newport for this monthly event. Gallery exhibits will be open from 5-8 p.m.  For a full list of participating galleries, visit NewportGalleryNight.com

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NEWPORT, R.I. – Dress Your Dog Like an Heiress at Doris Duke’s Rough Point Mansion on Thursday, Sept. 10. Held on the sweeping lawn at Rough Point, this doggy fashion show was inspired by Duke’s great love for dogs. Sponsored by Wag Nation, the evening will feature the latest in doggy fashions, along with an information table by the Potter League and treats for both dogs and humans. Stroll through a fabulous fashion exhibition inside the house (sans pooch) displaying highlights from Doris Duke’s collection of over 9,000 items. Show begins at 5 p.m. Proceeds benefit the Newport Restoration Foundation.

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NEWPORT, R.I. – The New York Yacht Club hosts its inaugural Invitational Cup Sept. 15-19, bringing together amateur yacht club teams from around the world to compete against each other on the waters of Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound. Visit www.NYYC.org for more information on the teams and the races.

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NEWPORT, R.I. – The 39th Annual Newport International Boat Show, at the Newport Yachting Center takes place Sept. 17-20, featuring scores of brand new sailboats, powerboats, and thousands of products and services from both domestic and international exhibitors. Gates open Thursday, Friday & Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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