New Year’s Eve on Irish Time with Bailey’s Mistake
Wednesday, December 31st
7:00pm
Doors open at 5:30pm

Come ring in the New Year at the Maine Irish Heritage Center with Bailey’s Mistake, a Celtic-inspired, four-piece folk band from right here in Maine. Known for their pulsing sound driven by bass, drums, and guitar, and lifted by hearty vocal harmonies, thrilling bagpipes, and whistle tunes, Bailey’s Mistake creates an irresistible energy that fills the room.

Doors open at 5:30; Happy Hour at 6 PM – with opening act Jim Sharkey! The main show starts at 6:50 with a 10-minute countdown to the New Year’s celebration in Dublin at 7 PM. Advance general admission tickets are $35; $45 day of the show. There will be a cash bar with plenty of bubbly available for your New Year’s toast! Grab your friends, fill a table, and prepare to rock in the new year!

And come hungry because we will have Noble Barbecue here selling their amazing sandwiches! What better way to ring in the New Year than with great music, amazing food, and some good craic.

We also have table packages available. These packages include tickets, light snacks, a bubbly toast, and celebratory New Year’s swag! Tables are only available in advance! See below for pricing.

About the Band: Celtic American roots music from Maine’s Bold Coast

Bailey’s Mistake is a not-quite-traditional, Celtic-inspired, four-piece folk band from Maine. The group mixes traditional music from Ireland, Scotland and Newfoundland with brand new songs about contemporary life in New England. Bailey’s Mistake’s pulsing sound is driven by bass, drums and guitar and topped off with hearty vocal harmonies and thrilling bagpipe and whistle tunes.

Bailey’s Mistake is made up of four seasoned musicians who all went to the same rural high school in Maine — aptly named Bonny Eagle. Collectively, they have about 110 years of touring musical experience.

Troy R. Bennett plays guitar, sings soulful lead and writes most of the band’s original songs. Travis Cote learned to play the bagpipes at 10 and thrills audiences with his rhythmic, majestic sound. Dean Clegg is the band’s inventive percussionist and oversees all technical aspects of every show. Rob Babson plays bass, sings delicate harmonies and is the band’s musical leader.

Bailey’s Mistake has played gigs all over New England. The band is also recording and releasing one new song, every month, throughout 2025.

The band takes its name from a legend told for generations along the Maine coast. Back in the 19th century, there was a certain ship captain named Bailey. He was trying to guide his vessel safely around West Quoddy Head Lighthouse and into Lubec Harbor. Unfortunately, it was a foggy night and he missed. Instead of safe harbor, Bailey ran aground in a shallow, rocky inlet just south of the lighthouse.

But rather than face the wrath of the ship’s furious owners in Boston, Bailey and his crew unloaded the lumber they had on board, built houses in the cove and settled down with several local ladies.

To this day, on most good maps, that little harbor is simply labeled “Bailey’s Mistake.”

Learn more about Bailey’s Mistake: https://www.baileysmistakemusic.com/

About the Opening Act: Jim Sharkey

Jim grew up in County Roscommon, Ireland. His songs reflect the Irish tradition as well as singer-songwriter music he grew up listening to. Regarding his original compositions Sean Smith, BostonIrish Contributor, November 2024 writes “there’s such an innate gentleness to his music, a care and concern expressed about our humanity, on a large and small scale, and that tenderness is once again abundant on his fourth album, “Our Old Village”.

Learn more at https://www.jimsharkeymusic.com

The Food!

We are so excited to have Noble Pizzeria and Barbecue back at the Center! Come with an empty stomach to make sure you don’t miss out on their delicious sandwiches – for sale 5:30-8:30pm!

A little bit about Noble:

We started as a scrappy mobile wood-fired pizza business, slinging pies at events from upstate New York to the coast of Bar Harbor. We quickly grew into a Maine-inspired, full service, wood-fired catering company. Ten years and more than 600 weddings later, the Fire & Co. flame is still burning strong.

From our love of food, traditions, and hospitality, Noble Barbecue was born. Always searching for better ingredients and techniques, the Noble crew has taken numerous Southern BBQ “vacations” and East Coast pizza road trips — hard work, but someone has to do it.

Over the years, we’ve watched Portland, Maine evolve into a culinary highlight of New England. We feel confident that we have the right menu, experience, and people to make a new Portland institution in one of the best neighborhoods around.

Learn more at noblepizzaandbbq.com