The Boston Celtic Music Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary — with a return to the stage

Updated at 9 a.m. Jan. 9
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The Boston Celtic Music Festival is returning in-person at Club Passim for the first time since the onset of the pandemic — and just in time for the festival’s 20th anniversary. Sean Smith and Summer McCall, co-organizers of the Boston Celtic Festival, joined Boston Public Radio on Friday to share their thoughts on Boston’s "deeply rooted" tradition of Celtic music and more.

With immigrants from Ireland, Scotland and the Cape Breton community on Nova Scotia, Boston is unique in its Celtic roots and traditions, the pair said. Smith says the festival brings together an "incredibly diverse" Celtic music community — even Celtic EDM Friday night.

"Boston's very special in having such a diversity in these sounds and styles," Smith said.

"There are a few other cities in America that have a strong Celtic community, like Chicago ... [and] New York," McCall added. "But the history of immigrants coming here from Ireland, Cape Breton, Scotland, they really brought a lot — and it is bursting with musicians. Especially right now! It seems like the pandemic break was good for the scene."

Club Passim, a folk music venue, has been a nonprofit for nearly 30 years, McCall said. But even before that, it was a space in Harvard Square dating back to the late ’50s, boasting performers like Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Tom Rush and Lake Street Dive.

"We're a fantastic little venue that has such a rich history — and future — with not just Celtic music but folk music," she said.

Musicians Maura Shawn Scanlin, Eamon Sefton, Simon Lace, Conor Hearn and Adam Hendey, who will be at the Boston Celtic Music Festival, performed “The Squall” and “Castle By The Sea” for Boston Public Radio’s Live Music Friday at the Boston Public Library.

The Boston Celtic Music Festival runs from Jan. 12-15 at Club Passim, The Sinclair, The Crystal Ballroom of Somerville and The First Parish Church of Cambridge. For more information, check out passim.org.
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Correction: This story was updated to correct the spelling of Joni Mitchell's name.