Irish for a Day

In Concord at a get-together that’s big-time green.Does March 17 sound like too long to wait for a day of green clothes, corned beef and copious amounts of beer? Fortunately, the St. Patty’s Day festivities start early this year with the Green Traditions Concert & Fair, the first annual event at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord on March 5. The headliner is the world-renowned Irish piper Paddy Keenan (see Q&A, page 24). He’ll be joined by the Irish band Réagánta and the New England Irish Harp Orchestra.Concertgoers will also have the opportunity to shop at the Local Green Fair, so the event offers the chance to not only celebrate “the wearing of the green” but also to learn more about the green movement in the state.The Green Traditions concert is presented by Green Concord, a group of local businesses in the Concord area focused on providing environmentally friendly products and services.”We’re excited to bring like-minded people together and to have a renowned artist such as Paddy Keenan at the concert,” says Green Concord’s president, Andrew Hatch. “We hope that the Green Traditions Concert will become a tradition of celebrating both Irish music and local environmental action.”Businesses are a part of the Green Traditions event’s Local Green Fair, a marketplace featuring more than a dozen New Hampshire storefronts and service providers dedicated to offering quality products and assistance while being eco-conscious. Locally made food will also be available. The concert and fair will benefit local youth environmental services.If a day of top-notch Irish music, great food, plenty of shopping options and a good cause sound enticing, there’s a perfect opportunity to be “Irish for a day” on March 5.The Green Traditions Concert & Fair takes place at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord on March 5. Tickets are $28. A limited Emerald Ticket package costs $50 and includes priority seating, courtesy raffle tickets and a chance to win artist CDs. The Fair starts at 6:30 p.m.; the concert at 8 p.m. The event will benefit Plus Time NH’s Concord Y.E.S. Team (Youth Environmental Service). Visit www.ccanh.com for more information.