Sober Seventeenth reclaims the day with top Irish culture and entertainment
Contact: Jack Kilroy at 440-759-1253 or sober17th@gmail.com
A sober St. Patrick’s Day party, sponsored by Sober Seventeenth, Inc., returns to Avon Lake’s Ahern’s Banquet Center to offer a family friendly, rip-roaring good time from 5pm to 8pm on Friday, March 17th, 2017 for the fourth consecutive year in the Greater Cleveland area.
Tickets are on sale now at http://sober17.brownpapertickets.org/
Noted civic leader William Denihan, Executive Director of the Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County has attended each of the three previous events and described the celebration as “A new party, a new way,” Denihan added, “Sober Seventeenth breaks the binge drinking stereotype by offering the best of Irish culture and entertainment in a family friendly and alcohol free setting.”
Sober Seventeenth President Jack Kilroy, a local attorney, said that many friends, upon hearing of his plans for a sober St. Patrick’s event, asked, “have ye gone mad?” But the first two sober St. Patrick’s Day parties, Kilroy said, “were sold out successes and, unfortunately, we had to turn people away.” He added, “People came early, stayed late, and left smiling.”
“The liquor industry hijacked a day that started in Ireland as a religious feast and, what developed with the early parades in America, as a repudiation of anti-Irish bigotry. They turned it into an excuse of binge drinking, which only brings back anti-Irish stereotypes. We’re taking it back and reclaiming the day for families and our Irish culture.
“It’s a great day for families and we offer a chance for parents to expose their kids to Irish culture in a safe and enriching setting. Those in recovery or who just don’t want to be around binge drinking are no longer doomed to sit at home as we offer a great alcohol-free party. Anyone who wants to experience Irish music, dance, and culture in a fun affordable setting is welcome at the Sober 17th St. Patrick’s day party," Kilroy added.
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The Northern Ohio event is sponsored by Sober Seventeenth, Inc., a nonprofit corporation with support from the Lorain County Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (LCADA) and the Cuyahoga County ADAMHS Board.
Tickets are $20 per person, $15 for seniors and students, and $6 for children 10 & under. Admission includes food, entertainment and free parking. Tickets are available for purchase at www.sober17.org
The entertainment is headlined by The James Kilbane Band, featuring award winning singer-guitarist and multi-platinum recording artist James Kilbane, direct from Ireland backed up by bass, fiddle, and drums. James Kilbane is a versatile and energetic performer who will present an array of old Irish favorites and lively popular Irish music for all ages.
The St. Ignatius Circus will highlight special programing for kids. The award-winning Brady-Campbell School of Irish Dance will demonstrate the art of traditional Irish dance.