Join the Craic in Cricklewood as four-day music festival returns to London
A Monday afternoon concert at the Return to London Town Festival in Cricklewood - Credit: Return to London Town Festival
Lovers of Irish music are in for a treat as a four-day festival celebrating all its genres comes to Cricklewood.
Return to London Town's 23rd annual festival of traditional Irish music, song and dance has real treats in store with four days of concerts, cèilidhs, workshops and sessions.
The Clayton Crown Hotel will host the main events in its spacious, multi venue complex while acts will also take place in venues in neighbouring Kilburn.
These include Ashford Place, in Ashford Place, and St Agnes Centre in Caddington Road, both in Cricklewood, the Mazenod Social Club, in Mazenod Avenue, Kilburn, and The Black Lion and The Colin Campbell both in Kilburn High Road.
Festivities kick off on October 22 with an Evening concert in the Crown Hotel's Ivy Suite.
An afternoon concert on Monday October 25 at 2pm in the same suite will close the festival featuring the London Irish Pensioners Choir.
Among the highlights are Roscommon flute player, Matt Molloy, who will be joined by long time Chieftains colleague – Dublin fiddler, Seán Keane.
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The duet will be accompanied by Monaghan guitarist Michael McCague.
There will be a real ‘Return to London Town’ for concertina player Jacqueline McCarthy, daughter of the renowned Co. Clare multi-instrumentalist, Tommy McCarthy who sadly died in 2000.
There are Instrumental Workshops at various Cricklewood venues as well as programmed music sessions, many of which are free.
People can also take part in two set dancing cèilidhs, with music from London’s popular, Parish Cèilidh Band, plus a ‘Cèilidhs for All’ dedicated to the memory of dancer Anton Coyle which requires no prior knowledge of the dances– and music will be provided by ‘McCool Trad’.
Festival director Karen Ryan said: "Learners of the tradition will have the opportunity to learn from many of traditional Irish music’s best instrumentalists during the Saturday and Sunday workshops.
"There will also be a singing workshop by Dublin sean nós singer Chan Reid and a singing session, which all are welcome to attend.
"There is a late license in bar of the Clayton Crown Hotel, which enables the tunes to continue until the wee hours of the morning."
Individual tickets are available with sessions and workshops costing from £10.
All Inclusive tickets for all ticketed concerts and cèilidhs are available to buy for £40.