PRIME Happenings April 08

April 5, Annual Irish Celebration. St. Michael's Cathedral, Springfield, will host its 10th annual Irish Celebration on Apr. 5. Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell will celebrate the 4 p.m. Mass which will honor the immigrant Irish who moved into this area after being uprooted by oppression and hunger in their native land. A traditional American-Irish dinner catered by Collegian Court will follow in the Bishop Marshall Center. Tickets: adults, $22; children 10 and under $8, may be reserved by calling the rectory office at 781-3656 by Apr. 2. Entertainment will be provided by the Pride of Springfield, Jerry Murphy, accordionist, and the Pride of Cork, Alfie O'Shea, guitarist and singer. Irish door prizes will be awarded. April 6, 123rd Collectible Show, sponsored by the Nativity BVM Parish Council from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. in Nativity Church Hall, 780 Chicopee St., Chicopee. The show will feature coins, sports and non-sports cards and sets, was boxes, vintage cards, card supplies, autographs, comic books, NASCAR racing and more. Forty-seven ground level spaces, handicap accessible. Admission: $1, children under 10 free. All proceeds to benefit the church. For info call Joe at 593-6046. April 6, "La Cage aux Folles," part of the Agawam Cultural Council's Foreign Film Festival, (1979, R, French with English subtitles). A transvestite-nightclub owner and his drag-queen star attraction masquerade as a straight, married couple for the benefit of the ultraconservative parents of their son's fiancee. Ticket: $6, includes complimentary hors d'oeuvres and drawing before the movie. All shows begin at 1:15 p.m.; doors open at 12:30 p.m. Agawam Family Cinemas, 866 Suffield St., Agawam; 786-8800. April 12, Lynn Noel and Ken Mattsson at The uNi Coffeehouse Concert Series. The concert will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Society Meetinghouse, 245 Porter Lake Dr., Springfield at 8 p.m. Musicians Noel and Mattsson perform together as a powerful a cappella and dulcimer duo. For info/reservations: 562-3990; Web site: www.uNiCoffeehouse.org. Tickets: $12 at the door. April 12, Music in Deerfield Announces the Shanghai Quartet, an acclaimed group that made such a big splash in their MID debut that we've brought them right back. Chinese-American composer Zhou Long's "Song of the Ch'in" (referring to a kind of Chinese zither) will come between great late Quartet's from two masers of the medium.: Haydn (Op. 77, No. 1) and Beethoven (Op. 132). All concerts start at 8 pm. "Concert Conversation," explorations of the music and performers hosted by John Montanari and featuring the evening's musicians will take place at 7 p.m. in Earle Hall prior to all Sweeney Concert Hall performances. Advance tickets for concerts are $25 and $30. Children/students tickets are $9. Tickets purchased at the door are $32 adults and $10 children/students. Four and six concert season subscriptions are available and are discounted. Info: 774-4200; online at www.musicindeerfield.org, or by mail, Box 736, Greenfield MA 01302. April 13, "La Dolce Vita," part of the Agawam Cultural Council's Foreign Film Festival (1960, unrated, Italian with English subtitle). Federico Fellini's lush and intoxicating masterpiece is a meditation on the meaning of life and love. Stars Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg. Nominated for four Academy Awards. Ticket: $6, includes complimentary hors d'oeuvres and drawing before the movie. All shows begin at 1:15 p.m.; doors open at 12:30 p.m. Agawam Family Cinemas, 866 Suffield St., Agawam; 786-8800. April 17, Writing Group. Friendly people gather informally in the Chicopee Senior Center, 7 Valley View Court on the first and third Fridays of each month at 1 p.m. Bring paper, a pen or pencil and a desire to share your ideas, imagination, life experiences or dream. No extraordinary writing skills are required. For more info call 534-3698, Mon. and Fri., 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Tues. through Thurs., 8 a.m.-8 p.m. April 26, Craft Fair, at the Florence Congregational Church, 130 Pine St., Florence, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Info: 584-1325. UPCOMING EVENTS May 2, "Loves of Cass McGuire". The Irish Cultural Center at Elms College in Chicopee announces a bus trip to Worcester to attend Pilgrim Soul Productions of Brian Friel's Irish play, "The Loves of Cass McGuire," May 2 at 8 p.m. in the Worcester Ancient Order of Hibernians Cultural Center. Tickets are $40 for members, $45 for non-members. Seats are limited; to reserve tickets, call 265-2537 or send an email to irishcenter@elms.edu. May 10, Pierogi Festival, Elks Pavilion, 430 Morgan St., West Springfield at 3 p.m., featuring 16 time Grammy Award Winner Jimmy Sturr and his orchestra with special guests Eddie Forman and his orchestra. Bring your lawn chair. Admission: $15 in advance; $18 at gate. Advance tickets: Charlie Wing, 860-763-0050, Patti Jakubia, 860-583-4375 or send check to: Pierogy Festival, Box 1, Florida, NY 10921. Sept. 27, Crafters Wanted. The 23rd annual St. Francis of Assisi Craft Fair will be held on Sept. 27 on the church grounds in South Windsor. Over 100 crafters participate yearly and spaces are available for $35 up to Aug. 3, afterwards $45. To receive an application, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: St. Francis of Assisi Craft Fair, c/o Ersilia Brandoli, 50 Cody Circle, S Windsor, CT 06074. Questions: call Brandoli at 860-528-5209.