ALTAMONT, N.Y.  -   It’s two days of non-stop Irish and more when the 12^th Annual Irish 2000 Music and Arts Festival takes over the Altamont Fairgrounds on Sept. 19 and 20 with more than 30 performances.

With headliners including Barrage, Great Big Sea, Gaelic Storm, The Tossers Carbon Leaf and Enter the Haggis, it’s a not-to-be-missed celebration of all things Irish.

New to this year’s festival is the addition of a second music stage for the Friday festivities.

On Saturday, the festival features four stages with more than 20 performances and non-stop music and dance 

Friday evening has performances from 5. to 11 p.m. The Contemporary Stage has performances by Greenwich Meantime, Neck, Carbon Leaf, Enter the Haggis and The Tossers. On Friday’s Traditional Music Stage, Seamus Kenney shares his Irish wit and music and is followed by Lunasa and Barrage.

On Saturday, the festival is underway from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. with an outstanding line up of entertainment:

• On the Contemporary Stage: Great Big Sea, Seven Nations, MacTalla Mor, The Killdares, Celtic Cross, Greenwich Meantime and Rathkeltair.
• On the Traditional Stage: Gaelic Storm, Hair of the Dog, Lunasa, Seamus Kennedy, The McKrells, Cara, Lunasa and Beoga.
• On the Regional Music Stage: Flynn 529, Frank Jaklitsch and John Cromie, Shakespeare in the Alley, Seamus Kennedy, Kevin McKrell, Cara and Cliudan.
• On the Grove Stage: Celtic dance by the Scoil Rince Criost an Ri and the Farrell, Boland and Campbell schools of Irish dance; with performances by Who’s Your Paddy, the Schenectady Pipe Band and a magic show by Domino the Great.

The 2008 festival has a Celtic Kids Family Fun Area that features games and rides. The festival also has a wide variety of refreshments and Celtic crafts.

Discounted tickets are available at the registers of all Price Chopper Supermarkets, with an additional $1 off for those using the Price Chopper AdvantEdge Card. The advance-sale tickets at the supermarket locations are priced at $25 for a two-day ticket through Aug. 20. After that date, the price increases to $30, with tickets available at the stores through Sept. 18.

Tickets at the gate will be $20 for Friday only, $20 for Saturday only. Festival tickets also may be purchased through the website, http://www.irish2000fest.com/, or via mail (must be received by Sept. 6) to Irish 2000 Festival, P.O. Box 415, Latham, NY 12110.

AFTER FEST PARTY!

Starting at 10 p.m. on Sept. 20, Flynn 529 will perform at the  After Fest Party at the Albany’s Irish-American Center at 375 Ontario St. Admission is free with the purchase of a travel package. Otherwise, there is a $5 admission.  All tickets will be sold at the door.

MORE INFORMATION

Additional information about the 12^th Annual Irish 2000 Music and Arts Festival, including details of overnight packages and shuttle service offered through Plaza Travel and Meetings in Latham, is available by calling 1-888-414-3378 or visiting the Web site at http://www.irish2000fest.com/.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZERS

The not-for-profit Irish Music and Arts Festival, Inc., with headquarters at the Albany Ancient Order of Hibernians’ Irish Cultural Center in Albany, organizes the annual festival.  The goal of the organization is, “To preserve, protect and promote Irish history and culture in the 21^st century.”

Since its inception, the festival has donated close to $300,000 to a variety of charities including the Albany Irish-American Center, the Irish-American Heritage Museum and all of the schools of Irish dance in the Capital Region. This year, the special beneficiaries will be the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and the national charities of the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

DIRECTIONS TO THE FAIRGROUNDS, 129 GRAND STREET, ALTAMONT

Please note: Coolers are not allowed inside the Festival Grounds.

Traveling South:  Take I-87 (Northway) south to end.

Traveling East: Take I-90 to Exit 24. Follow signs to I-87 south to end.
Traveling West: Take I-90 to Exit 1S. Take I-87 south to end.
Traveling North of the Thruway: Take Exit 24. Follow signs to I-87 south to end.

From End of I-87 (Northway):  Turn right off I-87 onto Rte. 20 (Western Ave). Travel west about 4.5 miles to Rte. 146; Turn left onto Rte. 146 to Altamont (about six miles).  The sign for the Altamont Fairgrounds will be on your left.  Turn left and follow road to the parking area.

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