Bringing Back the Wren Party in Philadelphia
Two years after the pandemic closed off any possibility of Comhaltas Philadelphia-Delaware Valley hosting its annual St. Stephen’s Day Wren Party, the event returned for 2022. With attendees filling the hall and taking up all the tables, it was a very encouraging showing for this, the 23rd year of the celebration.
Notably, many of those who attended the event at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Glenside, Pa., were non-Comhaltas members—evidently informed of the party through posts in local media and on the branch’s Facebook page and others—keen to learn about Irish culture and CCÉ through the tradition of the wren.
Spurred on by an enthusiastic caller from the ceili band that included local musicians young and old, and assisted by more seasoned ceili dancers, most of the attendees took to the floor and danced into the night.
It was clear to the casual observer that everyone was having a rollicking good time, including musicians of the Next Generation and Friends Ceili Band and the Timoney Irish Dancers.
Topping off the night was the prize for the best wren hat, which went to Ellie Manka-White. As an offshoot to our in-person celebration, CCÉ Philadelphia-Delaware Valley continued a tradition we began during the peak covid years: an online wren hat contest, publicized through ours and other local social media channels. The winner of that prize went to little Liam deBarra.
To reach out to newer audiences, we made a concerted effort to target Irish dance schools, and GAA clubs such as the Delco Gaels and the Glenside Gaelic Club, as well as local newspapers and news websites. We sent emails to CCÉ members and to other mailing lists, and we made social media posts in various outlets. Additionally, we placed flyers at the Commodore Barry Arts and Cultural Center (The Irish Center), the Irish Diaspora Center, and with other local Irish organizations, such as the Philadelphia Ceili Group. All this work resulted in a nice selection of articles promoting the event in the weeks leading up to December 26.CCÉ Philadelphia-Delaware Valley is extremely grateful for the support of the North American Meitheal Wren Grant that helped make the 2022 St. Stephen’s Day party a success.
