New Experiences Highlight Annual Celtic Crossroads Concert

SOUTH HARWICH -- As St. Patrick’s Day nears, it’s common for Cape Codders to want to get in the holiday spirit. As such, Lower Cape residents needn’t look too far as the sounds from the Celtic coast make their way to the South Harwich Meeting House this weekend.

On Saturday, March 14 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 15 at 3 p.m., the South Harwich Meeting House will feature its annual Celtic Crossroads concert. The event is a journey through the locales of Scotland, Ireland and Cape Breton via music and dance from various local artists.

The concert returns Rose Clancy as music director and on fiddle, and the event has a few new additions, according to South Harwich Meeting House President and Artistic Director Judith Ford. The new additions are something she’s excited for people to enjoy.

“We’ve done a Celtic Crossroads event the last several years, and it’s been similar each year. This year we’ve decided to take it a whole new level,” said Ford.

This year, the concert will feature full-surround video graphics. They will be 16 feet high and surround the whole audience, according to Ford. She noted that while the concert’s intent is to feature the musicians, actors and dancers, the graphics will allow the audience even more of an immersive experience. Seeing the performers within these venues and locales brings a new dynamic to the concert, she said. 

 “Whether it’s the hills of Scotland or a downtown Galway pub, they’re going to be in all of those environments,” said Ford. “We have phenomenal musicians on hand for this. It’s going to be quite outstanding.”

Clancy added that the concert is something that should be accessible to many types of fans.

 “It’s not, in any way, an uptight concert setting. I think it’s more like we’re all in the pub together and experiencing what that might be like,” she said. “We do draw the audience in and they have a great time. It’s really a celebration of Celtic culture.”

Another aspect that is new is an Irish shanachie played by Ian Hamilton. A shanachie, according to Ford, is an Irish storyteller, and in the case of Celtic Crossroads, the character will be played as a bartender. He will serve as a thread for the assortment of musicians and groups that are set to perform. There will be soloists and collaborations that will feature some original works and some familiar standards. 

The list of artists performing in Celtic Crossroads 2026 includes John Alden on bass and vocals, Max Cohen on guitar and vocals, Jonathan Ford on fiddle and Irish whistle, Bailey Ford on piano, Sarah Ford Marchio on Highland bagpipes and Scottish small pipes, Thomas Marchio on guitar and banjo, Christopher Marchio on piano, and Rachel Marchio on vocals.

 “It’s just a powerful group of musicians,” said Ford.

Clancy echoed the sentiment, explaining that audience members who have been to each concert since the start of the series have had the opportunity to see many of these musicians grow up in front of them.

 “We have a lot of young musicians that are fabulous, incredible musicians here on the Cape,” she said. “We have people that when we started doing this production were probably 13 or 14 — they were kids. These young folks have really come into their own musically, every year they just get better and better. I look at them with increasing awe of the technical abilities and their growth as musicians.”

A hidden asset of the concert is the meetinghouse itself, said Ford. The venue’s acoustics serve the performance well, she noted. The building was built in 1836 and received the preservation award from the Massachusetts Historic Commission in 2019. 

Tickets are going fast, according to Ford. They are $30 and $15 for students and can be purchased at southharwichmeetinghouse.com or at the door.