Don’t Miss The Ormond Beach Celtic Festival

Join us April 18-19, 2015 for the annual Ormond Beach Celtic Festival at the Casements, Rockefeller Gardens and Fortunato Park!

Enjoy a unique and colorful weekend of music, dancing food and good old Celtic Festival fun right by the river.

The gates open at 10 am on April 18 for two days of music, food and fun at Rockefeller Gardens and Fortunato Park. On the south side of the Granada bridge festival goers will find 3 stages of continuous music, a jam tent, Celtic food, crafts and jewelry and, of course, plenty of Guinness. More than 20 bands as well two Celtic dance troupes from the United States, Canada and the British Isles will appear throughout the weekend. Admission is $5 each day for adults. Children under 12 are free and there’s plenty of free parking.

Fortunato Park, on the north side of the bridge, is home to the Highland Games and Sunday sheep herding demonstrations as well as a party tent sponsored by Southern Stone featuring more bands and a beer garden. The Games are sanctioned by the North American Scottish Games Athletics organization and attract more than 50 male and female athletes from around the region to throw the caber, the hammer or the stone put.
This year’s headliners are the Irish band – Gailfean. The band is made up of seven-time All-Ireland button-box champion JOHN WHELAN, named “Traditionalist of the Year” by Irish Echo magazine, All-Ireland, Sligo style fiddler BRIAN CONWAY, Cork born MÁIRTÍN DE CÓGÁIN, the singing, dancing, bodhrán player who also happens to be an All-Ireland champion storyteller; and well-known accompanist DON PENZIEN.
New to the Festival this year are two events sure to please food lovers of all ages – Celtic cooking classes featuring the “Celtic Chef”, Eric McBride and a Shortbread Competition for local bakers. (click here for rules and entry forms) McBride, who has authored four cookbooks about Celtic cuisine will offer 4 demonstrations on Saturday and 3 on Sunday, each featuring a different recipe and culture. The Shortbread Competition will take place on Saturday morning with 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes for both traditional and modern shortbreads. The grand prize is a $200 gift basket from Kerrygold Dairy.
In addition to all the music on stage there is a twice-daily parade by the Festival’s award-winning bagpipe band, Rosy O’Grady’s Highlanders, and a daily parade by all the attending Clans. If your dog is an Irish setter, a Welsh corgi or a Scottie dog – or you just want to dress your pup in plaid – be sure to visit the Festival on Sunday for the dog parade. Dogs can be entered in the parade by making a contribution of dog food or supplies to be given to the Timucuan Weimaraner Club of Florida, a rescue organization, and there will be prizes for the best-dressed dog.
And the fun doesn’t stop when the sun goes down. Learn a few Celtic dances at 5:30 pm on Saturday at the dance demonstration and join Festival musicians Friday and Saturday nights at our local pub gatherings for great music jams and more party. Friday night, April 17, the jam session begins at 8 pm at The Orange Kilt, 1220 Hand Ave, Ormond Beach, FL 32174. On Saturday, the party moves to the Grind Gastropub, 49 W. Granada Blvd. Ormond Beach.
Want to spend the weekend? Stay overnight where you might meet the Festival stars at breakfast. Performers will be staying at the Best Western Casa del Sol, the Atlantic Cove and Hampton Inn Daytona/Ormond, just minutes from the Festival site. These hotels all offer Festival rates for visitors that can be found at the Festival website – www.ormondbeachcelticfestival.com
Get more information and daily schedules at www.ormondbeachcelticfestival.com

 

See pics of past Celtic Festival fun here.

For more information, visit The Celtic Festival Homepage