The New York Irish Center, a hub for culture and community enrichment serving diverse constituencies in Long Island City, presents its annual holiday concert, “New York Croons for Christmas,” on Friday December 9 at 7 pm.
Tickets, which are $60 (includes complimentary holiday libations), can be purchased at newyorkirishcenter.org.
The event– a fundraiser to support all the cultural and social programs of the Center – is staged immersively in the storefront theater Reilly Room.
The New York Irish Center (NYIC) is located at 1040 Jackson Avenue in Long Island City.
Hosted by Colm Reilly and featuring a rollicking line-up of notable local singers and musicians, “New York Croons for Christmas” is NYIC’s warm-hearted holiday concert tradition.
This year’s featured performers include singers Wendy Lane Bailey and Kathy Kaefer; singer-songwriter Jeanne MacDonald; and the acclaimed guitarist Sean Harkness leading The Life of Reilly Band.
Mixing traditional Christmas songs from a range of international repertoires as well as a naughty and nice selection of pop and Broadway chestnuts, with a dash of fun originals, the show is staged NYIC’s street-level storefront theater, the Reilly Room, named after NYIC’s beloved co-founder Paddy Reilly, Colm’s father.
A two-time MAC Award-winner, Colm Reilly is a frequent performer and host at the Center, who has also appeared and headlined at The Town Hall, Symphony Space, The Iridium Jazz Club, Birdland, Feinstein’s/54 Below and at Carnegie Hall.
He has also toured with the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland, and in theatre productions across the US, including “Forever Plaid,” “Brigadoon”, and “Hello Dolly!”
One of his two MAC Awards was for Best Male Vocalist.
There are two other notable holiday events at The New York Irish Center, starting with their Annual Toy Drive which will be held at 1 pm on Saturday December 3.
The annual Toy Drive, in its 10th year, raises enough money to purchase 500 gifts for 500 less fortunate children at the holidays. On December 3, the Center transforms into Santa’s Workshop, with dozens of friends and volunteers in attendance.
This is followed on Sunday December 11 with the Santa Visits from the North Pole event where friends from all over marvel at St Nick’s distinctly Irish brogue. Who knew?
Presents are dispensed for all the kids who enter. Doing all the heavy lifting for Santa this year will be the popular actor and international boxing star John Duddy.
A hub for culture and community enrichment serving a broadly diverse audience from its base in Long Island City, the New York Irish Center programs a wide variety of cultural events spanning film, theater, comedy, books and traditional and contemporary music in its street-level storefront theater, the Reilly Room.
NYIC’s social support programs include classes, networking and outreach for LGBTQ+ individuals, seniors and children.
For more info and queries call 718-482-0909 or e-mail info@NewYorkIrishCenter.org. The New York Irish Center, 1040 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City NY 11101, is just seven minutes, and one stop, on the 7 train from Grand Central Station.