“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!”

2011 McDonald’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade Winners

This year proved to be the best McDonald’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade yet!  With over 85 entries in the parade, competition was fierce!  Many parade participants have been familiar entries for many years- this year everyone seemed to up the ante.   We saw more green than ever this year!  The judges had an especially tough job this year!  A BIG thanks goes out to everyone who came out and helped make this year’s Roanoke St. Patrick’s Day Celebration a huge success.  We look forward to what next year holds!! Here are the winners for the 2011 McDonald’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade:

Best Non-Profit: Parrotheads of the Blue Ridge

Best Celtic Theme: Vikings of the Valley

Best Neighborhood: Historic Old Southwest

Best Business: Roanoke Civic Center

Most Patriotic: 29 Division Association

BEST OVERALL: Parrotheads of the Blue Ridge

Roanoke’s Riverdance Challenge – Lord of Roanoke!

We’re going to challenge the World Record for the longest Riverdance line and we need you particpation! Get to downtown Roanoke early before the McDonald’s St. Pat’s Parade and be part of the fun event!  We hope to fill Jefferson Street with Riverdancers of all spaces and sizes.  If you can move your feet and chew gun at the same time – you can do it!  We’ll show you how.  Tell you friends and spread the word.  See our Facebook event page for continual updates. The line will start at the parade judges stand at Franklin Road & Jefferson St. (in front of SunTrust) and hopefully run all the way down to the Celtic Festival site (in front of Corned Beef & Company). Who knows, maybe even longer than that.

It all happens about 30 minutes before the McDonald’s St. Pat’s Parade steps off.

Get there EARLY, the Riverdance Challenge starts at approx. 10:30am!