Spring Rain Weekend
An interactive weekend celebrating Irish Culture
Friday – May 5 and
Saturday – May 6
All events held in the Belwood Community Hall in charming Belwood, Ontario, Canada.
Admission fees quoted in Canadian dollars.
FRIDAY MAY 5, 2023
9:30am-4pm
WORKSHOPS in TRAD MUNSTER SOLO SET DANCES
Brittany Hying will focus on the solo sets required for the TCRG exams with CRG. Those marked with an * will be the focus sets.
AM Workshops:
A Job of Journeywork* & Garden of Daisies
PM Workshops:
3 Sea Captains*, St Patrick’s Day & Blackbird
Preregistration required:
Half day $60CAD. Full day $100CAD. Optional Lunch $20.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2575136862720948
8-10:30pm
SIAMSA – AN IRISH KITCHEN PARTY, EAST COAST STYLE
Our host, Gary Faris hailing from Northern Ireland, welcomes you on a kitchen party adventure!
Bring your instruments & singing voices to the Community Hall in Belwood. The evening will be a blur of an impromptu selection of songs (for which the lyrics and chords are projected on the wall) singing, playing and maybe even a dance or oral recitations.
Following each song, Gary will take suggestions for the next piece.
Print out the PDF (tap or click to download) for the listing of songs that we will be using that evening.
Unfortunately we will not have sufficient time to play and sing them all! So print the listing and highlight your favourites to ensure they get requested!
Authentic Irish potato soup & soda bread served during intermission.
Unpredictable yet vibrant. Full of Irish and East Coast tradition and folklore. This night is not to be missed!
This is a SmartServed licensed event. Cash bar.
Admission is free. Donations received will offset program costs.
SATURDAY MAY 6, 2023
10 am-1:30 pm
IRISH ACTIVITY STATIONS
Short 10-15 minute, interactive activities to whet your appetite for more!
To purchase the tools & supplies speak with the activity hosts. There will also be a small number of activity stations in which you will be able to make and take what you have created – these stations have been marked on the list below with an asterisk*. And there are a variety of activity stations where you can improve your Irish language and cultural knowledge. Something for everybody!
Confirmed activities include:
Dry stone walling
Rope-making*
Hedge laying
Wooden spoon carving
Beekeeping and honey
Linen making & bleaching (from flax plants)
Rug hooking w woollen textiles
Try your hand at playing uilleann pipes, penny whistles, harp, concertina, bodhran & fiddle (instruments provided)
Pet ‘n feed sheep & lambs
Learn your name in Irish
Irish town scavenger hunt using maps
Join a May-pole dance
Spinning & Weaving*
Welt Felting
Tea tasting*
Tea Party – learn the day-to-day Irish words & phrases
Get a small henna celtic design on your hand*
Begin recording your memories*
Fairy Door creations*
Hike in the adjoining woodlot to find the fairies
Leprechaun Station (a free child minding station so parents/care-givers can interact child-free.)
And more!
See the introductions to each of the activity hosts on our main FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063747090234
Admission is free. Donations received will offset program costs.
Activity hosts may also have products available for purchase & information about their half/full day workshop opportunities.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2708344585915099
11:30am-12:30pm
TRADITIONAL IRISH LUNCH
FULL MEAL OPTIONS ($12-$15)
Include entree, soda bread or scone, drink, tart.
Meat, gluten free, vegetarian options available.
INDIVIDUAL SELECTIONS ($1.50-$11)
Irish stew, Potato soup, Tomato-veg soup, potato jackets w toppings, veg snack baggie, dessert scone, buttered scone & soda bread, drinks (pop, tea, coffee). Tarts not sold separately.
Meat, gluten free, vegetarian options available.
Limited quantities. Available until sold out.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2820419927978027
2-4:30 pm
“ROMP THRU IRISH DANCE” with international & local performers
Dances will showcase the impact that other dance styles have had on Irish Dance and the influence that Irish dance has had on other dance styles.
Solo, duet & group performances in . . . Sean nós dancing, barrel, brush, trad solo sets such as Priest and his Boots, Festival slow slip jigs, performance ceili dances, Munster style step dancing (reel, slip jig, hornpipe, treble jig), Munster traditional solo sets, trad group sets, Canadian step dancing (clog, jig, reel), Appalachian clogging, Maypole dancing, long-stick dancing, Marley dances, Dan Fury dances, Lancashire Clogging, flatfooting, etc accompanied by Irish MUSIC on fiddle, penny whistle, concertina, uillean pipes, keys & guitar.
Admission is free. Donations received will offset program costs.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1206515700295128
8-11pm, doors open 7 pm
COMMUNITY CÉILÍ
Come and kick up your heels with caller Stephen Rayner (Kingston ON) accompanied by live music.
It is sure to be the highlight of your weekend! New to Céilí Dance? This is the place for you. Been doing Ceili Dances all your life? This is the place for you.
Individuals welcome. No experience required as our caller will first teach the dance then prompt you through while dancing.
Live music provide by our own Spring Rain Céilí band.
TICKETS IN ADVANCE: Adults $10. Youth $6.
TICKETS AT THE DOOR: Adults $15. Youth $8.
Families with everyone living in the same household $40.
Children under 4 are FREE.
This is a SmartServed licensed event. Cash bar.
For more info or to purchase tickets please contact us via FB or email: mmhjir@hotmail.com
Dancers Charlotte Clare, Grace Laceby & Maria Peppler.
Photo taken by Rowan Abraham at a previous Spring Rain Weekend, Belwood, ON