Dating back to 1909, the Bijou Theatre in Bridgeport, Connecticut has a storied history.
Lillian Ashmun commissioned architect Ernest G. Southey to design a movie house with a two-story ballroom above. Silent films were all the rage back then, but this theater will be rocking on Saturday, August 19th!
In keeping with its "tradition of supporting the arts through film and live performance," this 200-seat theater will host the Keltic Kick to benefit Ireland's Great Hunger Museum of Fairfield, the new home to Quinnipiac University's Great Hunger Collection.
Over 170 pieces of art and sculptures in the collection tell the story of one of the darkest periods in Irish history, the Irish potato famine, now commonly referred to as The Great Hunger.
Keltic Kick's "unique blend of energized traditional Irish music" has delighted audiences for over three decades. The four-member band of Billy Donaldson, Bob Ross, Doug Abel, and "Fiddle" Mike O'Reilly have donated the evening's entertainment in aid of Ireland's Great Hunger Museum of Fairfield, whose new home will be at 636 Old Post Road in Fairfield, Connecticut.
The site is the former location of Operation Hope, whose mission was to eliminate hunger and homelessness in Fairfield. It seems fitting that a former food pantry will become home to an art collection that tells the story of Ireland's Great Hunger. Due to their expanding needs, Operation Hope is moving to a new location.
Quinnipiac chose the Fairfield location because of its vibrant Irish community and potential to showcase the art to a larger audience. The current IGHMF board meets twice monthly with Quinnipiac officials to ensure best practices are adhered to in transferring the collection to the new space in Fairfield.
The Keltic Kick concert at the Bijou Theater in Bridgeport is just one of many upcoming fundraisers to prepare the new home of Ireland's Great Hunger Museum of Fairfield and ready the space to continue to tell the story of Ireland's Great Hunger through art. Other venue owners have reached out and expressed their interest in helping the IGHMF board achieve its goals. In addition to a golf outing and Ceilis, other concert collaborations are on the horizon. So, stay tuned!
Keltic Kick play The Bijou Theater in Bridgeport, Connecticut on Saturday, August 19. Doors open at 6 pm and the show begins at 7 pm. John Foley, President of Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum of Fairfield, will deliver an introduction. A special Irish dance performance will also be featured, and there will be a raffle by The Keepers of the Dew.
You can learn how to get tickets here.
This article was submitted to the IrishCentral contributors network by a member of the global Irish community. To become an IrishCentral contributor click here.
Comments