Belfast's New Year's by the Bay turns a sweet 16
Conjuring Carroll performs magic at the Colonial Theatre with help from Lexi Richard. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
Exhibition matches at the Belfast Curling Club. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
Mime and musician Scot Canon prepares to go on stage at the Colonial Theatre. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
The Blue Hill Brass Band at the First Baptist Church several minutes before making a joke about their band not having a drum. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
The audience at the First Baptist Church reacts to the Blue Hill Brass Band. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
Supper is served in the basement of the First Baptist Church. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
Caricaturist P.J. Carter, background, works in the basement of the First Baptist Church. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
Curlew performs traditional Irish instrumental music at the Unitarian Universalist Church. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
A pair of revelers walk the stretch of Front Street leading to the Belfast Boathouse. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
The Hips play covers and originals for a dancing crowd at the Belfast Boathouse. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
Dancers at the Belfast Boathouse. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
Fred Gosbee, left, and Julia Lane of Castlebay perform in the Abbott Room at the Belfast Free Library. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
Holiday light illuminate downtown Belfast. (Photo by Shelagh Delphyne)
The Gawler Sisters, from left, Edith, Elsie and Molly, perform a cappella at First Church. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
The Gawler Family play to a capacity crowd during the first of two shows by the band at First Church. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
Eric Sanders anchors the beat for a pick-up ensemble of a hundred spoons, bottles and pans marching down Main Street just before midnight. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
The bonfire roars at the public landing. (Photo by Shelagh Delphyne)
Conjuring Carroll performs magic at the Colonial Theatre with help from Lexi Richard. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
Exhibition matches at the Belfast Curling Club. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
Mime and musician Scot Canon prepares to go on stage at the Colonial Theatre. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
The Blue Hill Brass Band at the First Baptist Church several minutes before making a joke about their band not having a drum. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
The audience at the First Baptist Church reacts to the Blue Hill Brass Band. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
Supper is served in the basement of the First Baptist Church. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
Caricaturist P.J. Carter, background, works in the basement of the First Baptist Church. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
Curlew performs traditional Irish instrumental music at the Unitarian Universalist Church. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
A pair of revelers walk the stretch of Front Street leading to the Belfast Boathouse. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
The Hips play covers and originals for a dancing crowd at the Belfast Boathouse. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
Dancers at the Belfast Boathouse. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
Fred Gosbee, left, and Julia Lane of Castlebay perform in the Abbott Room at the Belfast Free Library. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
Holiday light illuminate downtown Belfast. (Photo by Shelagh Delphyne)
The Gawler Sisters, from left, Edith, Elsie and Molly, perform a cappella at First Church. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
The Gawler Family play to a capacity crowd during the first of two shows by the band at First Church. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
Eric Sanders anchors the beat for a pick-up ensemble of a hundred spoons, bottles and pans marching down Main Street just before midnight. (Photo by Ethan Andrews)
The bonfire roars at the public landing. (Photo by Shelagh Delphyne)
BELFAST - New Year's by the Bay, the city's alcohol-free first night celebration, marked its sixteenth year last night. Judging from packed houses at the dozens of concerts and performances downtown the event is as popular as it's ever been.
Many acts from past years returned in 2013 including the Blue Hill Brass Band, Katahdin Valley Boys, Hawk Henries and OdLaW. As in past years, the program played to the character of the venues, four of which were in churches. Minimally-amplified music with traditional roots — Celtic, Native American, Acadian, Amerian folk and jazz — was a common thread.
The Gawler Family brought an eight-piece band to First Church for two sets of music, paring back now and then for a cappella arrangements by sisters Molly, Edith, and Elsie.
Castlebay told jokes between songs — counterpoint to gorgeous melodies of the harp-based duo.
There was magic and storytelling for young audiences at the Colonial Theatre, and high energy dance music — also good for the young, many of whom took off their shoes to dance to The Hips — at the Belfast Boathouse.
The First Baptist and Universalist Unitarian Churches held suppers while First Church went with a late night breakfast. The Belfast Curling Club held exhibition matches for curious and seasoned spectators both. Belfast's new Poet Laureate, Ellen Sander, was slated to don the traditional gold cape.
Horse-drawn carriage rides were canceled on account of the cold. The drum and rabble parade, however, made the scene in spades. Revelers beating drums bottles and just about anything else that could make a sound beat a path down Main Street just in time for the end of 2012, followed a bonfire, more drums, hoots, chants, Auld Lang Syne, and whatever happened next.
Contact Ethan Andrews by e-mail at news@penbaypilot.com
Thanks to Shelagh Delphyne of delphynephotography.com for additional photos.
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