“The most exhilarating and authentic show from Ireland in decades…” kicks off the ‘12 Roanoke St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

The young and enormously talented lads & lasses of Celtic Crossroads made their Roanoke debut last year, and boy did they wow the audience!  This year they are back with their newly updated World Fusion Tour show which adds an additional dancer and new twists.  The show is presented by Jefferson Surgical Clinic and kicks off this year’s Roanoke St. Patrick’s Day Celebration and is scheduled for Friday March 16, 2012 at 8:00pm at Jefferson Center’s beautiful Shaftman Hall Theater.  Tickets are on sale now, and make great Christmas gift ideas – see this web site for details.

Celtic Crossroads presents Irish music like never before, set to do to Irish music what Riverdance has done to Irish dance. With the recent release of their “World Fusion” DVD (in partnership with PBS) Celtic Crossroads is taking the US by storm! This is not a performance to be missed!

Celtic Crossroads © is critically acclaimed as ‘the most exhilarating and authentic show to come from Ireland in decades – not to be missed’. It is an explosion of youthful energy and dazzling musicianship. Celtic Crossroads abounds with fusions of traditional Irish music, bluegrass, gypsy and jazz whilst pulsating with the rhythms of exciting Irish dance percussion. Spontaneous mid show ovations are the norm, and enraptured Celtic Crossroads audiences are always compelled to shout, and SHOUT for more.

PLUS, as a special St. Patrick’s Day treat, the Virginia Highlands Pipe & Drum Band will perform to open the show. The Virginia Highlands Pipes & Drum Band, based in the Roanoke Valley, was formed in 1983 with just three pipers and one drummer. Their sound is as traditional as the MacFarlane tartan they proudly wear.

It’s all part of the 2012 Roanoke St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, which of course includes the award winning McDonald’s St. Pat’s Parade, and the Roanoke Celtic Festival, featuring Roanoke’s legendary Celtic group Second Wynde, on Sat. March 17 (St. Patrick’s Day!).  So break out the green and get ready to “Get Lucky!”

Craig Woolard Band, The Embers & Band of Oz – will warm you up!

After the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is over and the cold winter weather sets in; we will just be heating things up with our Kroger Cabin Fever Series starting Friday, January 20, 2012 with the sizzling sounds of the Craig Woolard Band. After several crowd-pleasing appearances at BB&T’s Party in the Park, we’re excited to welcome back one of the best voices in the Carolina Beach music scene and winner of the 2011 CAMMY Awards “Best Male Vocalist” !

If you’ve seen their show once, you’ll undoubtedly want more! The classics and The Embers never go out of style.  An evening of dancing to The Embers at the Kroger Cabin Fever Series is just what the doctor would order for those cold February nights! So mark your calendar now for Friday, February 17th to hear this legendary beach and party band!

And last but not least, The Band of Oz, winners of the 2011 CAMMY Awards “Group of the Year,” will be closing out the Cabin Fever Series on Friday, March 9th! They boast countless Cammy’s for “Best Group,” “Best Album,” “Song of the Year,” and were inducted into the Beach Music Hall of Fame in 1997.

Don’t wait to purchase your tickets, if you plan to come to all three, go ahead and buy your 3 pass, that comes with a complimentary CD of highlights from 2011 BB&T’s Party in the Park. You can’t buy this CD, so don’t pass on this amazing deal! What a great gift to give to someone special!  To purchase tickets, click here!

BB&T’s Party in the Park closes another successful season

Each year EventZone and BB&T put together a wrap-up event to thank all of the non-profit partners, volunteers, sponsors and BB&T employees who help out throughout the summer.  BB&T’s Party in the Park takes place every Thursday in Elmwood Park, beginning in late May and ending in early September.  EventZone would like to take the time to recognize our non-profit partners, who provide volunteers at our summer concert series.   Feeding American Southwest Virginia, Virginia Amateur Sports, Roanoke Children’s Theater, Roanoke Area Ministries and Historical Society of Western Virginia were the five non-profits selected for the 2011 season.  Each week patrons who come out to enjoy the sounds of summer are helping these local non-profits raise money for their various organizations.  EventZone was able to donate over $10,000 total to these organizations this year!  Thank you to all of the non-profits, sponsors, volunteers and most importantly, the Party in the Parkers who came each week to hear their favorite bands!  We are looking forward to another successful season starting May 24, 2012!

If you are interested in applying for the 2012 Party in the Park season, you can visit our website at www.PITP.org and fill out the application.  If you have any questions or concerns please contact Sarah Stephenson at sarah@eventzone.org or by calling 540-342-2640×247.

Historical Society of Western Virginia

Roanoke Area Ministries

Roanoke Children's Theater

Feeding America Southwest Virginia

Virginia Amateur Sports

Who should be honored as the ‘12 St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshal?

A favorite Roanoke and regional tradition is just right around the corner!  The Roanoke St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, which includes the 23rd Annual McDonald’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Celtic Festival featuring Second Wynde, will take place Saturday, March 17th in downtown Roanoke. The festivities start at 10:00am, with the parade stepping off at 11:00am.  The McDonald’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade has become one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day parades in the Mid-Atlantic region.

The 23rd Annual McDonald’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade will continue its long standing tradition of “honoring those who protect and serve,” by selecting someone to serve as the  parade’s Grand Marshal, who has dedicated their time and effort to serving the Roanoke community.  There are so many worthy candidates who are citizens in the Roanoke Valley working in public service positions to make this community a better place.  This year the St. Patrick’s Day committee is looking to the citizens of Roanoke to nominate a person to serve as the 2012 parade Grand Marshal.  In past years, the Grand Marshal has not been limited to just a male or female, in fact a service dog has had the honor!  The ideal candidate has gone above and beyond the call of duty in a standout example of dedication to the citizens of Roanoke.  Past year’s marshals include Brian Lawrence, retired Roanoke City Police officer; Captain Chris Brown’s family, representing the late Roanoke City Fire and EMS captain; St. Francis service dogs; and Henley Green, Roanoke City Fire and EMS.  McDonald’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade has also had many Veterans, both active and retired, share this honor.  If you would like to nominate an individual please contact Amanda Gaylor via e-mail at Amanda@eventzone.org or by phone at (540)-342-2640X233.

March 17th is a day for the entire family to enjoy all that downtown Roanoke has to offer.  For a complete schedule of activities visit the event website at www.RoanokSaintPats.org.

Get ready for Grammy winning blues & smokin’ ribs – Sat. Oct. 1

As the summer is winding down and fall festivities begin, make sure you’ve got one of Roanoke’s Best Festivals marked on your calendar.  The fifth annual SunTrust Big Lick Blues Festival will take place on October 1, 2011 in Elmwood Park downtown Roanoke.

This year we’ve got an award winning musical line up in store.  Three time Grammy winner, Delbert McClinton is back to headline this rockin’ blues festival and he’s not coming alone!  As members of Texas R&B/country Delbert McClinton’s band, the musicians of Dick50––Steve Mackey, Kevin McKendree, Rob McNelley, Lynn Williams will be sharing the stage with the soul legend. SunTrust Big Lick Blues Festival is thrilled that we were included in one of the few U.S. shows that Bernard Allison has scheduled this year. Bernard Allison totes the same smokin’ six string shooter that his late father Luther Allison assaulted the blues with. And he is blessed with his father’s soulful voice, spiritual devotion, and a musical freedom which experiments with the blues.

As if these tremendous national acts weren’t enough, a local legend, The Fat Daddy Band will grace the stage at BLB.  Since 1995, The Fat Daddy Band has been delivering what many call exceptional Blue Ridge blues to the Roanoke Valley and beyond.  This band’s success has allowed them to open for headliners such as The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Train, Susan Tedeschi, and the legendary Nighthawks!  To start this day of fantastic blues music, from early funk, blues, rock and soul, Skinny Velvet will be sure to get you on your feet and groovin’ to the smooth sounds of your favorite blues tunes.  Who is Skinny Velvet? That’s a great question that is not easily answered. As a man, Skinny is an enigma….a dark, southern, musical mystery. As a band, Skinny Velvet is the brainchild of four of the Carolina’s most talented and determined troubadours!  Skinny Velvet was conceived from several of North Carolina’s finest groups. These boys have toured the U.S. in their well respected bands for years and now come together to make one of the strongest line-ups around!

The music is not the only award winning aspect of this festival- what goes hand in hand with blues music? Mouth watering ribs- not only mouth watering but award winning!  That’s right; we’ve got your favorite rib vendors back again to battle it out for the bragging rights of best rack in town!  It’s not just the familiar veterans such as Martin’s Downtown Grill, Blue 5, Thelma’s Chicken & Waffles and Bastians.; there are some rookie competitors stepping up this year!  And for those of you with a competitive edge yourself; be sure to sign up for the popular Martin’s Rib Eating contest.  This festival is sure to leave you with a full stomach and a satisfied soul!

The 5^th annual SunTrust Big Lick Blues Festival kicks off at 2:00pm on Saturday, October 1.  Music begins at 2:15pm with the winner of the Blue Ridge Blues Society competition, Skinny Velvet. And in case you’re wondering how you are going to be able to catch the game and enjoy all this event has to offer- we thought of that too! We will have a game day area with a big screen showing college football as well as all your favorite tailgate games brought to you by Tailgaters United! Tickets are $24.00 in advance and if you’re a SunTrust customer, it’s cheaper than that! Tickets are available at all local SunTrust branch locations as well as online at www.BigLickBlues.org