CelticFest Mississippi in its 19th year

Outside scene at CelticFest 2009. Photo by Fel Bautista

Sept. 10-12
Ag Museum, Jackson MS
Tickets available for purchase online

CelticFest Mississippi 2010, Celtic Heritage Society’s 19th annual weekend of cultural celebration is almost here! It’s a packed weekend of Celtic music, dance, and fun not to be missed.

“CelticFest” is a celebration of the Celtic nations including Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man and Brittany. It takes place on September 10-13 at the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Museum. CelticFest features an exceptional variety of exciting Irish and Scottish music and dance on 7 stages, plus free Celtic heritage, music and dance workshops, a children’s area, Celtic specialty vendors, and plenty of food and drink. Because much of the festival takes place indoors, CelticFest will be held RAIN OR SHINE!

CelticFest annually features several headlining artists of both international status and high caliber. 2010’s artists are Irish supergroup TÉADA (a young five-piece band from Ireland), New York-based DONIE CARROLL & FRIENDS, and CAPTAIN MACKEY’S GOATSKIN & STRING BAND, featuring Máirtín de Cógáin and Jimmy Crowley, both of Co. Cork.

Inside at the main stage.

CelticFest’s schedule of music will be splitting its seams for 2010 with over 45 other music and dance groups, travelling to Mississippi from as far away as California, Michigan, Rhode Island, Florida. Nine-Eighths Irish, Avoca, Kelly, and Slip Jig join the festival alongside old favorites Smithfield Fair, Finvarra’s Wren, Legacy, Jim Flanagan, and more.

The festivities begin Friday night 7pm-12am with music/dance performances on multiple stages, vendors, the Whiskey and Scotch Tasting benefit, and an open tune session.  On Saturday, the gates open at 10 am with even more entertainment, workshops, and activities continuously until midnight. The gates open again 11 am Sunday for another day of Celtic fun.

A popular feature of last year’s festival, the Highland Games demonstration, will expand to a two-day affair. Mighty indeed!

An ever popular highlight of CelticFest, the massive Céilí Dance (pronounced ‘kay-lee’) caps off the Saturday night. Co. Cork native and featured Dancemaster, Éamonn de Cógáin will lead the Céilí for his third year running. No dancing experience is required to participate – beginners are welcome.

Photo by Mack Barham

The children won’t be left out— CelticFest is a family-friendly festival! There will be a Children’s Area and kid-oriented vendors on the grounds.

Admission is $12 for an adult Weekend Pass, $8 for seniors and students, $5 for children ages 5-17, and $1 for children under four. “A greater value of this quality can’t be had in Jackson….,” says Harvey Kimble, past president of the Celtic Heritage Society.

The Celtic Heritage Society is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with the mission of promoting and preserving the arts and culture of the Celtic nations.  CelticFest is a family-oriented event, and all CHS events are open to the public. 
           
CelticFest’s sponsors include: Fenian’s Irish Pub, Wine & Spirits In the Quarter, Cabot Lodge Millsaps, Branch Cable, Capital Cities Beverages and Guinness, and the Jackson Irish Dancers. This project is also funded in part by a grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency and by South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Mississippi Arts Commission.

The 12th Irish Whiskey & Scotch Tasting

Whiskey Tasting

Friday, Sept 10, 2010
7:30 pm
Where: The Sparkman Auditorium at CelticFest
(The Ag Museum)
Cost: $35 advance online (through Sept 9th) or
$50 at the door (limited availability)

The Irish Whiskey and Scotch Tasting, a public event now in its 12th year, is the only event of its kind in Mississippi. This home-grown Tasting is a benefit for CelticFest Mississippi, and has garnered quite a reputation, inspiring similar events at Celtic festivals throughout the country.

“Year after year, the Tasting grows in terms of attendance and presence,” says Nick Lord, who co-organizes the Tasting with Perry Launius at Wine & Spirits in the Quarter.  “In 2009, we moved to a larger building and increased by 80 seats to 200, and we still sold out. That’s a concrete indicator of how special this event really is.”

Because the event tends to sell out, organizers recommend that those interested in participating buy their tickets online before midnight September 9th.

The Irish Whiskey and Scotch Tasting will feature special whiskeys and products for 2010, cheeses, crackers, dips, and such furnished courtesy of Fenian's Irish Pub, and exclusive give-aways. Each participant will exit the Tasting with a firm grounding on the process of distilling and insight into what makes each whiskey distinct.

More information...

CelticFest a Top 20 Event

It's official -- the word has gotten out about CelticFest being a great event. The all-volunteer run festival was selected as one of the Top 20 Events in the South for a second time.

 

The Mostly Monthly Céilí Series

Set Dance at Fenian's, Photo by Josh Hailey

FREE! 
One Sunday a month (mostly), 2-5pm
Fenian's Irish Pub, 901 E Fortification

What is this céilí thing, anyway? Céilí (pronounced "KAY-lee") means "gathering", especially with music and dancing – but our definition is that it's good old-fashioned fun. The Mostly Monthly Ceili offers opportunities to learn Irish set and céilí dancing in an informal, relaxed setting. Sometimes our friendly local musicians join in to play live music or sing a song or three, and other times we get along with recorded music. Either way, we've never known a céilí not to be a great time!

All are welcome, regardless of age (young or young-at-heart) or experience level -- we'll walk through the dances before doing them. So bring the kids, grandma, your dancing shoes, your fiddle or whistle. Fenian's is a pub, but these are family-friendly and non-smoking events; and best of all, they're FREE (donations welcome). Fenian's kitchen and bar are open for business, so there's music, food, drink, and dancing -- all the important things in life!

The Mostly Monthly Céilí Series takes place (usually) one Sunday afternoon a month from 2-5pm. Check the CHS calendar for when the next Mostly Monthly is due.

 

CelticFest is on Facebook and Twitter!

 

CelticFest Mississippi receives grant funding from these institutions:

Visit the Widget Gallery