February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Jim Smith
LAWRENCE, Mass. — The 16th annual Bread and Roses Heritage Festival will be held on Labor Day, Sept. 4, on Lawrence Common.
Among the ethnic bands featured this year is Lúnasa, a popular Celtic group whose album "Otherworld" was voted the Irish Echo’s top traditional album of 1999.
Earle Hitchner, the Echo’s music critic, has described Lúnasa as "one of the most inventive and impressive instrumental bands to emerge from Ireland in recent years . . . combines a strong sense of spontaneity and risk-taking with remarkable discipline and outstanding talent."
The festival celebrates Lawrence’s labor and immigration history with ethnic and folk music, dance performances, ethnic food vendors, craft sales, historical demonstrations and information booths. Musical entertainment runs from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Walking and trolley tours of the city will be offered throughout the afternoon. For information, call (978) 685-5231.
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