As part of the celebration of its 60th season, the Albany Symphony Orchestra (ASO) is bringing back a community event that was a popular annual fundraiser for the ASO more than two decades ago and is inviting people throughout southwest Georgia to join the fun. “For the past eight years, we’ve hosted a St. Patrick’s Day event to support the orchestra. This year, we decided to bring back the crawfish festival that was a great event for the symphony for many years, and we’re going to combine the two,” said Ben Roberts, President of the Albany Symphony Association, the volunteer board that oversees the orchestra’s operations. 

The ASO St. Patrick’s Day Crawfish Festival will be held Saturday, March 16 from 4:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Thronateeska Heritage Center in downtown Albany. Proceeds from the event will support the ASO’s Educational Outreach Program that provides the opportunity for over a thousand elementary school children from around the region to enjoy a free symphony concert. “Music education is part of our mission, and each year we work with schools in and around Dougherty County, providing lesson plans for their music classes and hosting concerts for students,” said Dr. Claire Hillard, ASO Conductor and Music Director. “This year, the students will learn about Mozart, and hear the orchestra play his music live as actors perform a play focusing on the famous composer’s life.” The ASO distributes educational material to participating schools to use in classes in the weeks leading up to the performances. On Friday, March 15, students will be bussed to the Albany Municipal Auditorium to see and hear what they have been learning about with their music teachers, come to life with a theatrical performance full of history accompanied by the ASO. 

A 9:00 a.m. performance will be reserved for students. The second performance at 10:30 will also be open to the public by reservation only due to a limited number of seats available. Please contact our General Manager, LeeAnna Anglin, at (229)430-8933 for more information. 

Thanks to the support of donors and sponsors, there is no charge for admission to either concert. “Our children’s programming is a vital part of what we do, and the St. Patrick’s Day Crawfish Festival provides a great opportunity for people to help make sure we can continue providing that quality programming,” Dr. Hillard said. 

The family-friendly festival will include all-you-can eat fresh Louisiana crawfish, live music, and games, as well as pizza for those who might want a second food  option.Tickets are $50 each and are available atwww.albanysymphony.org.Admission is free for children under 12.

www.albanysymphony.org