A special free St. Patrick’s Day concert will be taking place at the ACT.
Celtic musician Nigel Tucker will be performing with Tam Gordy as The Navvies along with special guests The Mission Pipe Band.
“We’ve been doing the St. Patrick’s show for the Arts Council for approximately the past seven years,” said Tucker adding that the Mission Pipe Band has been a special guest for the past seven years as well.
“The first time they ever played the show with us, they marched off the stage to a full standing ovation,” Tucker said.
“I had to go running to the back to the pipe major and tell them, look, get out there, you have a standing ovation,” Tucker laughed.
Tam and Tucker will be playing traditional Irish music combined with Atlantic Canadian pieces.
“Sort of Ryan’s Fancy and Great Big Sea style,” explained Tucker.
On the Irish side they will be playing songs from The Dubliners, The Clancy Brothers and others.
The Pipe Band will be doing traditional Scottish pipe tunes along the lines of Scotland The Brave, The Green Hills of Tyrol and A Scottish Soldier.
“And they are going to be doing Scottish versions of Irish tunes. For example The Wearing of the Green, which is interesting because they have green tartans. And a well-known Irish song called The Minstrel Boy,” said Tucker.
For a bit of a change, he added, they’re also throwing in a traditional Welsh tune called Suo-Gan.
St. Patrick’s Day Celebration takes place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Mar. 17 at The ACT Arts Centre, 11944 Haney Place in Maple Ridge.
For more information go to theactmapleridge.org.