This January, BCMFest (Boston’s Celtic Music Fest) will begin its second decade of celebrating the Boston area’s abundance of Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton, and other Celtic-related music and dance traditions.
The 11th annual BCMFest, which takes place on January 10-11, 2014, will once again bring together dozens of local musicians, singers and dancers to present performances as well as participatory music and dance events. Family-friendly and genuinely grassroots, the festival is held in the heart of Harvard Square, starting with the Friday night “Roots and Branches” concert at Club Passim and the Boston Urban Ceilidh – BCMFest’s always-popular Celtic dance party – just around the corner at The Atrium, 50 Church Street.

BCMFest’s Saturday “Dayfest” begins in the morning with children’s and family entertainment at Club Passim, and continues through the afternoon with a full slate of concerts and other events at Club Passim and nearby First Church, Cambridge, at 3 Church Street. The festival concludes Saturday evening with the “BCMFest Nightcap” finale concert in First Church.
At press time, performers who are confirmed to appear at the festival include: Matt and Shannon Heaton; Liz Simmons; Katie McD; Owen Marshall and Lindsay Straw; Flynn Cohen and the Deadstring Ensemble; Jenna Moynihan; Joey Abarta; NØÍR; Lukas Pool, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes and Mark Kilianski; Diane Taraz; Lindsay Adler; Elizabeth and Ben Anderson; Molly Pinto Madigan; Sean Smith; SoundShapes – a special performance of Irish music and dance featuring Kieran Jordan and Sean Clohessy – and Jigs & Saws. Updates on BCMFest 2014 performers and events will be available at http://passim.org/bcmfest.
A look at some of the highlights of BCMFest 2014:
• Friday night’s “Roots and Branches” concert at Club Passim spotlights some of the area’s young, innovative musical talent.
• The Boston Urban Ceilidh features participatory and social dances from the Irish, Scottish and Cape Breton traditions, all with live music. No experience is necessary – all dances will be taught.
• BCMFest’s Saturday “Dayfest” begins in the morning at Club Passim with songs, storytelling and other entertainment geared toward children and families.
• “Dayfest” also includes participatory dance and jam sessions in The Attic of First Church.
• BCMFest is noted for its workshops, in which performers collaborate around a special theme or focus – anything from instruments that you pluck or blow to contemporary songs with the form, content and/or feel of traditional ballads to the Celtic side of Elvis Presley.
* The Saturday night BCMFest Nightcap concert at First Church concludes the festival in grand fashion with an evening of top-notch music and dance from the cream of the local Celtic crop.
BCMFest is a program of Passim, a Cambridge-based non-profit seeking to build a vibrant music community through its legendary listening venue, music school, artist grants and outreach initiatives.
Ticket information and other details about the festival will be available at passim.org/bcmfest.