25th annual festival packs in the crowds

There was something for everyone at the 25th annual North Country Goes Green Irish Festival on Saturday, regardless of whether they have Irish roots, wore green from head to toe or chose to drink Guinness over Coors Light.

"We don't really change too much year to year, because people seem to like the festival the way it is," event organizer J. Richard Gaffney said. "It lets people who aren't Irish learn what Irish culture is all about and it lets people in Watertown with Irish heritage celebrate it."

The festival, held at the Dulles State Office Building, 317 Washington St., started as a fundraiser for Project Children North, an organization that brings children from Northern Ireland to stay with Northern New York families.

The Project Children program has changed over the years; fewer children make the trip now that there is peace in Northern Ireland. But the festival still funds trips for students that have a major effect on their lives, said Gay R. Keogh, Croghan, who was working at the festival's Project Children booth with her husband, Patrick.

"The experience changes these kids. There's a bit of culture shock, just like when we go to another country," Mrs. Keogh said. "But things have changed so much since the program started 35 years ago, and the children who came at the beginning have gone to college to be journalists and architects when they thought they wouldn't get that far in life."

The festival also raises money for $1,000 college scholarships for six to eight north country students. There is no specific fundraising goal for the festival, but last year's event raised more than $35,000 in four days.

People who attended the festival Saturday shopped for T-shirts that proclaimed their Irish heritage, listened to the Fraser Family Band sing traditional Irish songs and flanked the bars on the first and 11th floors. People with Irish last names such as Murphy, Nelson and Quinlan could find their family tartans at one of the festival exhibits.

People packed the auditorium to see the Johnston School of Irish Step Dance perform. Audience members clapped along to the beat of the music and the dancers' shoes clacking against the stage floor.

Tricia P. Swartz, Watertown, was at the festival to watch her daughter, Madeline M., 6, perform with the Johnston School. Madeline started step dancing two years ago and is one of the youngest dancers in the group. Mrs. Swartz said she promised Madeline that she could have her face painted in the Celtic Kids Zone after her third and final performance of the day.

"We're Irish, so this is a really great tradition," Mrs. Swartz said. "I'm hoping we'll have some time to walk around and hear some of the music and have some of the food after the dancing is over."

Mr. Gaffney said the community's support for the festival continues to grow each year, which gives him hope for the future of the event. This year, more than 200 north country residents volunteered at the festival.

"The community support is why we're as successful as we are," Mr. Gaffney said. "Young people are getting involved now, and that's great because they're the ones who will carry on the tradition in the future."

Today is Family Day, which runs from noon to 5:30 p.m. and concludes this year's festival. One highlight is the 1 p.m. parade, which will start at Paddock and Winslow streets and proceed along Washington Street to Stone Street.