The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/27337
Scene the O-Town Vol. 1, No. 24 www.otownscene.com 102 Chestnut St., P.O. Box 250, Oneonta, NY 13820 (607) 432-1000, ext. 255, editor@otownscene.com Editor Cassandra Miller The Daily Star Associate Managing Editor Adrienne Wise Publisher Armand Nardi The Daily Star Editor Sam Pollak Contributors Mark Boshnack, Ned Brower, Trevor Hayes, Terry Ludwig, Jim Koury, Raul O’Toole, Genevieve Pedulla, William Pharr, Emily Popek and Sam Spokony. Circulation Director Fred Schmidt Advertising Director Sean Lewis The O-Town Scene is published Thursdays by The Daily Star Inc. Free copies are distributed throughout Oneonta, as well as parts of Otsego, Delaware and Schoharie counties. Member of The Associated Press and CNHI News Service Editor’s Note 2 O-Town Scene March 17, 2011 We Americans like our holidays, so much so that we even embrace heritage- specific holidays _ like St. Patrick’s Day. Everyone’s Irish on St. Patty’s Day. It is my Vietnamese friend’s favorite holiday. She loves to talk in a brogue throughout the year _ like when we walk by an Irish pub or see a red-headed person _ but especially on March 17. I’m full-on American, with a little Irish thrown in _ 3/8 Irish to be exact, and 1/4 Hungarian, 1/4 German and 1/8 Sicilian. But, on March 17, I celebrate my Irishness. I wear green and sing the “No, nay, never” chorus of “The Wild Rover.” If I could jig, I would. Growing up, my mostly Irish mother would make us green pancakes before school and corned beef and cabbage for dinner. My dad would wear orange to represent Protestant Ire- land, which would annoy my Catholic mom. But, we all cel- ebrated the day. When I was at col- lege in Boston, friends and I would drink Guinness and watch the parade in Southie, with Boston’s finest swigging beer from spectators’ red cups as Clydesdale horses trotted behind them. Lots of Americans and cities have St. Patty’s Day tradi- tions. Delhi is hoping to instill its own March tradition with its inaugural St. Patrick’s Day parade on Saturday. Bagpipers, whiskey tast- ings and dozens of groups represesented in the parade will be a part of the day. Very few towns in our four- county coverage area have St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, so Delhi will fill that void for anyone looking for some revelry that doesn’t necessar- ily involve all-day drinking. Oneonta is on track to have a new tradition, too _ of bringing popular musicians to town. There’s optimism for the the future of Foothills after selling out its Gordon Lightfoot concert on March 31. Although profits from ticket sales will hardly fill the center’s hole of debt, it’s something tangible _ not just talk. There is hope for Oneonta to become an arts destina- tion. It’s got the creative clout of artists, musicians and writers, and venues such as Foothills and the Oneonta Theatre, the latter of which is booking acts such as Ani DiFranco and the Wailers. The Oneonta Theatre opens its second season next week- end with popular indie-folk group The Felice Brothers, who is our Music People feature this week, and the multimedia Ricky Nelson Re- membered show from Ricky’s sons, Matthew and Gunnar. Theater partner and promoter Jon Weiss took time to talk about his hope for the arts community in Oneonta and some of his favorite bands for this week’s Casual Chit Chat. Top o’ the morning to you, and the rest of the week, too. _ Cassandra Miller