The Beach Celtic Festival Toronto’s Only Outdoor Ceilidh Great Line-Up for 2012

Submitted by Sandy Graham

The Beach Celtic Festival is about family, is all centred around music, and this year will be better than ever. With a wonderful array of Scottish, Irish,

Celtic and a little bit of country, there is something for everyone.

Hugo Straney is the perennial host of The Beach Celtic Festival in Kew Gardens. A radio host, a stand up comedian and singer, Hugo does all these things exceedingly well.

With a wealth of honours to his name, Hugo has his own radio show every Sunday on CHIN, 10 – 11 am, and has been awarded Irish Person of the Year, sang the national anthem to the Prime Minister of Ireland for the opening of Ireland Park in Toronto, been the topic and feature on a documentary and is invited to perform on cruise ships and junkets in Las Vegas.

Blessed with big, strong Irish lungs, Hugo can belt out the power ballads, but also turn in a fine sensitive reading when needed. Born in Ireland, he has made Canada his home, but has never forgotten his roots. The Beach Celtic Festival is proud and honoured that he is with the Beach Celtic Festival every year. Hugo Straney doing Ireland and the Celtic nation proud, year in and year out!

Don GrahamDon Graham is a Canadian singer/songwriter, tried and tested in the music industry, both as a performer and songwriter as well as a recording artist. With a live show history in Europe, Canada and even the legendary Nashville Palace in Nashville, Tennessee, Don is no stranger to the big stage.

He is also the brother of Sandy Graham, the producer of the Beach Celtic Festival, and together they work to keep the memory and legacy of their Scottish roots alive. ‘The Pipes and the Mist’ is a song Don performs yearly;  written from his heart for the love of his Mum, Mima Sutherland Graham, whom the Beach Celtic Festival is dedicated to every year. With a little bit Celtic and a little bit country, Don Graham, along with guitar whiz Bobby Cohen, bring a great toe tapping, foot stomping element to the stage that makes the crowd smile and applaud.

The Seasick Sailors are set to dock again this year at the Beach Celtic Festival. Electric, energetic and entertaining,  the Seasick Sailors are called a Canadian Folk Rock Celtic band with a dash of East Coast fun and Celtic cheek.

Hugo StraneyThe kilt wearing quartet are huge crowd pleasers, doing a nice bend of well known classics and memorable originals. The band consists of Markuz Slater (mandolin, accordion, keyboards & lead vcls) Mike Aceto (bass guitar, tin whistle & vcls) Daniel Neumann (drums, percussion & vcls) and David Drage (lead guitar & vcls.) With a repertoire that pleases young and old alike, these zany sailors are coming into the Celtic port for the second year, and Ahoy – you must be there to great them.  Come to Beach Celtic Festival and check them out!

The Shananigans are based out of Waterloo,Ontario and this is their first time at the Festival so come out and see them!  The band consists of Chris Whelan (button accordion, percussion), Tawnya Moore (flute, piccolo, vocals), Aimee Jesso (Guitar, Vocals, Drums) and Dan Tapper (Bass, Guitar, Vocals). The Seasick SailorsAlthough the band is new, the players are not! Collectively, they bring decades of musical and live performance experience to the stage, ensuring a lively, entertaining show for all ages. They will play great old songs you will know and love and if you don’t know them you will by the time the Shananigans are done with you. Betcha can't sit still!

The Beach Celtic Festival is held in Kew Gardens, Toronto on Sept. 8 & 9 Entertainment starts at 11 am – Admission is Free.