Interesting Lectures Festival Dates & Hours Caroline McCracken-Flesher “Whose Line is it Anyway? Stolen Songs in The Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border.” Saturday, 2 p.m., Portland Rose Rm. Caroline McCracken-Flesher is Professor and Chair in the Department of English at the University of Wyoming. Educated at Edinburgh, Oxford and Brown universities, she has published widely on Scottish literature and culture. Ellie Davis “The Dreaming – Remember The Way” Celtic dream workshop part 1 Friday, 4 p.m., Portland Rose Rm. Learn how the ancient Celts and other cultures past & present viewed dreaming and learn to navigate & manifest your dreams. “Celtic Mythology: The Wheel of the Year” Saturday, 1 p.m., Portland Rose Room Join Ellie Davis as she unravels the Celtic-knot-work of Ireland, The Tree of Life and the origins of most of our holidays today. Storytelling by C. David Belt “Tales of Courage, Sweet Bites, and Lost Loves” Saturday, noon, Portland Rose Rm. C. David Belt is a published author of “The Children of the Lilith” book series. Friday, March 24, 3 p.m. - Midnight Saturday, March 25, 10 a.m. - 11 p.m. Festival Location All Activities Held Indoors Roundhouse & Railyards Complex 1500 W. Main, Evanston, Wyoming Ticket Prices Full Weekend Pass - $40 Friday Only - $20 Saturday Only - $30 Daytime Only - $5/day (does not include headline concerts) Children 7 and under free during daytime hours. EvanstonCelticFestival.com Supported by the Lodging Tax Board Activities for Kids Kids Loft - upstairs in the Roundhouse Open Friday 4 to 5:45 p.m. and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Games for kids all weekend, presented and sponsored by the Utah Renaissance Faire. Fun games including the frog catapult, a mini archery range, bean bag toss and a log balance game. Ceili Dancing For All Ages - Bring your brother, grandma, or anyone, it is group dancing! Sat., 12:15 p.m., Roundhouse Craft Area - in the Roundhouse Friday 3:15 p.m., Tree Charms Craft for kids 4 p.m., Ogham Craft for kids Saturday 11 a.m., Shields Craft for Young Warriors 1 p.m., Tree Fairies Craft for kids 3 p.m., Ogham Craft for kids
REGIONAL PERFORMERS Steven & Ruth Hollander Friday, 3:30 p.m. Knights Inn Main Stage Steven & Ruth Hollander have been playing music together for more than 20 years. They met through mutual friends who invited Steven to see a Celtic harp that Ruth had just built. Ruth has played the fiddle from a young age. She discovered traditional folk music in high school, including music from the British Isles and Appalachia. Steven has played the banjo for over 30 years for square dances, and started playing the concertina so he could play Irish and Contra Dance music. Mark Jardine Friday, 4:30 p.m., Session Stage and Saturday, 10:15 a.m. Knights Inn Main Stage Mark Jardine has been performing traditional instrumental Celtic and American music and song for 46 years. His main instrument is the fiddle but also performs and sings using a variety of old and unusual instruments including anglo concertina, frailing banjo, hurdy-gurdy, mandolin and guitar. He was a founding member of the Deseret String Band and Tenpenny and was also a member of Yankee Clipper. Harvest Home Friday, 5:30 p.m. Knights Inn Main Stage Harvest Home is a singing duo with Annie and Dan Eastmond. They delight their audiences with versatility on a number of instruments including guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, penny whistle, and concertina. They play Celtic and Traditional American Folk music with a bit of storytelling, limericks, and Irish blessings thrown in for good measure. Pladdohg Friday, 6:30 p.m., Session Stage and Saturday, 2:15 p.m. Knights Inn Main Stage Pladdohg (pronounced Plaid Dog) is a ‘Celtic Rock’ band. The band’s founders, Kaiser and Jill Wilhelm wanted to expand from traditional music to a more modern exciting style of Celtic music. Pladdohg band members have been brought in from varied musical backgrounds, which helped to create this new and different sound. Red Branch Saturday, 11:15 a.m. Session Stage Red Branch is a dynamic, authentic, traditional Irish trio based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. Members include Joe Welsh on tin whistle, flute, and bodhran, Patrick Welsh on bodhran, low whistle, tin whistle, bones and vocals, and Tiffany Draper on fiddle and flute. The Dunmore Lasses Saturday, 12:15 p.m. Knights Inn Main Stage The Dunmore Lasses fuse traditional Irish/Scottish music with the infectious energy of Rock. They have opened for Wicked Tinkers and Molly’s Revenge, and have played festivals headlined by Old Blind Dogs and Alasdair Fraser. They’ve been raising the rafters in and around Northern Utah at such venues as Piper Down, Flanagan’s, MacCool’s, Bountiful International Music Festival and Ogden Irish Music Fest. Hales Family Musical Ties Saturday, 3:15 p.m. Session Stage Hales Family Musical Ties is the family of R. Brent & Cindy Hales, both of which came from musical families. Cindy taught her children to play many musical instruments. They do all types of programs including Bluegrass, Celtic, other ethnic styles and religious. They have played music both locally and at folk festivals around the world including France, Puerta Rico, and Poland. Their music ties them to their heritage and connects them together as a family. The Hales Family will present a beginning fiddle workshop on Saturday, 4:15 p.m., Superintendent Building. Annie’s Romance Saturday, 4:15 p.m. Knights Inn Main Stage Annie’s Romance is a Salt Lake-county-based, 6-member, acoustic folk band performing traditional songs and dance tunes from Scotland, Ireland and Cape Breton. Sets combine vocal harmonies with fiddle, flutes, bagpipes, whistles, harp, banjos, bodhran, and more. Their satisfying mix of sweet ballads, fiery reels and jigs has been delighting audiences all over the Wasatch front since 2011.
HEADLINE PERFORMERS The Young Irelanders, Friday, 8 p.m. The Young Irelanders comprises eight sensational performers who have Irish traditional music, song & dance running through their veins. Although still in their 20’s and 30’s, these performers have achieved more than most people would aspire to in a lifetime. Between them they have performed for many heads of state, Presidents of Ireland, US Presidents, the Queen of England, the President of China, Prince Albert of Monaco, Empress Michiko of Japan, performed at Radio City Music Hall, the Great Hall of the People in China, Kremlin State Palace in Moscow, the US Capitol Building, Fox Theatre in Detroit and the Pantages Theatre in L.A . The artists have also toured as lead performers with Riverdance and Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance, been soloists on PBS Special’s, shared the stage with Bono, and have recorded with Ronnie Wood (Rolling Stones) and been chosen by Sting to perform for his exclusive private parties. The Young Irelanders will present these informational workshops at the festival on Frday: • Irish Step Dancing w/Ayla Reid and Joe Duffey, 5 p.m., Roundhouse • Irish & Sean Nós Singing w/Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin & Ian Kinsella, 5 p.m., Portland Rose Rm. • Irish Piano Accompaniment w/Laura Callaghan, 5 p.m., Superintendent Bldg. Skipper’s Alley, Saturday, 6 p.m. Skipper’s Alley are a 7-piece ensemble whose dynamic take on traditional Irish music has garnered wide critical praise and featured on stages across three continents. With a sound described as “from unaccompanied song through to full Chieftains frenzy” (Folk World), the Dublin-based group arrange and interpret traditional Irish folk music on Uilleann Pipes, Harp, Fiddle, Whistles, Bodhrán, Banjo and more, taking influence from such early bands as Planxty, Dé Dannan and The Bothy Band. Skipper’s Alley first came to prominence in the summer of 2013 after winning the Loic Raison Trophy at Le Festival Interceltique de Lorient, an award previously won by such established acts as Danú and Clannad. Since then, the group have made several high profile TV and Radio appearances (The Late Late Show, Radio One’s Céilí House) and have toured in Ireland, England, Scotland, France, Germany, Denmark, India and Zambia. Skipper’s Alley will present these informational workshops at the festival on Saturday: • Flute & Whistles w/John Flynn, 10:15 a.m., Superintendent Building • The Irish Banjo w/ Patrick Cummins, 10:15 a.m., Vistors Center • Irish Rhythms (bodhran) w/Macdara Yeates, 11:15 a.m., Superintendent Building • Advanced Fiddle Styles w/Ultan O’Brien, 11:15 a.m., Vistors Center • Ceili Dancing with Skipper’s Alley, 12:15 p.m., Roundhouse • Irish Guitar Backup w/John Flynn, 2:15 p.m., Superintendent Building • Learn about the Uilleann Pipes w/Fionnán Mac Gabhann, 2:15 p.m., Vistors Center • Learn about the Irish Harp w/Eilís Lavelle, 3:15 p.m., Visitors Center Carlos Núñez, Saturday, 8 p.m. Carlos Núñez comes from Galicia, the Celtic region in North West Spain. He is considered one of the preeminent artists on the World/Celtic Music scene, with the depth of a classical music virtuoso and the charisma of a rock star. Carlos has expanded the borders of Celtic music to include Flamenco, Fado, Cuban, Mexican, Brazilian and Classical music, Movie Soundtracks, Contemporary Dance… As he describes it, he plays Celtic music with Latin passion.His album Santiago, for which he became honorary member of The Chieftains, was awarded a Grammy in 1997. Carlos Núñez embarks on his comeback to the US, having performed hundreds of shows in the early 90s, with The Chieftains, or with his own band. Since his last US release, 10 years ago, he has concentrated on Europe, Latin America and Japan, where his legions of fans have enjoyed an average of 100 shows per year. Carlos Núñez will present a workshop on Galicia, the Celtic region in North West Spain, Saturday, 3 p.m., Portland Rose Room.
Schedule of Events Friday, March 24 3 p.m. - Festival opens 3:15 p.m. • Tree Charms Craft for kids, Craft Area 3:30 p.m. • Steven & Ruth Hollander, Knights Inn Main Stage • Medieval Fighting Demo, Roundhouse 4 p.m. • To The Point Dance Studio performance, Roundhouse • “The Dreaming – Remember The Way” Celtic dream workshop part 1, by Ellie Davis, Portland Rose Rm. • Ogham Craft for kids, Craft Area 4:30 p.m. • Mark Jardine, Session Stage • Hard cider, Perry and other medieval era fruit wines Workshop & Tastings w/Alan Griffin, $20, Vistors Center 5 p.m. • Irish Step Dancing w/Ayla Reid and Joe Duffey of the Young Irelanders, Roundhouse • Irish & Sean Nós Singing w/Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin & Ian Kinsella of the Young Irelanders, Portland Rose Rm. • Scots/Irish Dream Craft Workshop for Adults w/Ellie Davis w/music by Steve Davis & Micah Paisley, Craft Area • Irish Piano Accompaniment w/Laura Callaghan of the Young Irelanders, Superintendent Building 5:30 p.m. • Harvest Home, Knights Inn Main Stage 5:45 p.m. • Medieval Fighting Demo, Roundhouse 6 p.m. • Tunes and technique for pickers: bouzouki, mandolin, guitar, banjo with Colin Botts, Superintendent Bldg. 6 p.m. (continued) • Whisky Tasting w/Mick Kindler, $40, Visitors Ctr. 6:30 p.m. • Pladdohg, Session Stage 7:15 p.m. • Doors open for Headline Show, Roundhouse 7:30 p.m. • Fake Irish Accent Contest, Roundhouse near Pub 8 p.m. • Headline Show with The Young Irelanders, Roundhouse Headline Stage 10 p.m. (about) • After –hours late night session. Bring an instrument to join in or just enjoy the music. Saturday, March 25 10 a.m. - Festival opens 10:15 a.m. • Mark Jardine, Knights Inn Main Stage • Medieval Fighting Demo, Roundhouse • Flute & Whistles w/John Flynn of Skipper’s Alley, Superintendent Building • The Irish Banjo w/ Patrick Cummins of Skipper’s Alley, Vistors Center 11 a.m. • Shields Craft for Young Warriors, Craft Area 11:15 a.m. • Red Branch, Session Stage • Irish Rhythms (bodhrán) w/Macdara Yeates of Skipper’s Alley, Superintendent Building • Advanced Fiddle Styles w/Ultan O’Brien of Skipper’s Alley, Vistors Center Noon • Tales of Courage, Sweet Bites, and Lost Loves, storytelling by C. David Belt, Portland Rose Rm.
Noon (continued) • Tree Charms Craft for adults w/Ellie Davis, Craft Area 12:15 p.m. • Dunmore Lasses, Knights Inn Stage • Ceili Dancing with Skipper’s Alley, Roundhouse • Beginning Mandolin w/James Arbizu (mandolins provided), Superintendent Building 12:45 p.m. • Hard cider, Perry and other medieval era fruit wines Workshop &Tastings w/Alan Griffin, $20, Vistors Center 1 p.m. • Medieval Fighting Demo • “Celtic Mythology: The Wheel of the Year” by Ellie Davis, Portland Rose Rm. • Tree Fairies Craft for kids, Craft Area 1:15 p.m. • Skipper’s Alley mini concert w/Q&A, Session Stage • Swords and Spears and Axes, Oh My! (Medieval Weapons 101) by C. David Belt, Roundhouse 2 p.m. • “Whose Line is it Anyway? Stolen Songs in The Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border” by Caroline McCracken-Flesher, Portland Rose Rm. • Ogham Craft for adults w/Ellie Davis, Craft Area 2:15 p.m. • Pladdohg, Knights Inn Main Stage • Irish Guitar Backup w/John Flynn of Skipper’s Alley, Superintendent Building • Learn about the Uilleann Pipes w/Fionnán Mac Gabhann of Skipper’s Alley, Vistors Center 3 p.m. • Kilt contest, in front of Knights Inn Main Stage • Afternoon Irish Session w/members of Skippers Alley. Bring your instrument!, Roundhouse • Galicia by Carlos Nunez, Portland Rose Rm. • Ogham. Craft for kids, Craft Area 3:15 p.m. • Hales Family Musical Ties, Session Stage • Learn To Play the Whistle with Rob Gandara (whistles will be provided), Superintendent Building • Learn about the Irish Harp w/Eilís Lavelle of Skipper’s Alley, Vistors Center 4:15 p.m. • Annie’s Romance, Knights Inn Main Stage • Beginning Fiddle w/Hales Family Band (fiddles provided), Superintendent Building • Whisky Tasting w/Mick Kindler, $40, Vistors Ctr. 5 p.m. • Closing Ceremonies 5:15 p.m. • Doors open for Headline Show, Roundhouse 6 p.m. • Headline Show with Skipper’s Alley, Roundhouse Headline Stage 7:30 p.m. • Red Hair contest & raffle 8 p.m. • Headline Show with Carlos Núñez, Roundhouse Schedule is subject to change Parking and Shuttle Bus The Celtic Festival shuttle will make stops at each of the four downtown parking lots and Festival Admissions at the Machine Shop every 30 minutes. Operating hours are 3 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., Friday, and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday. Shuttle rides are free of charge - donations are gladly accepted and all proceeds will support the Celtic Festival!
Festival Contests Adult Craft Workshops Fake Irish Accent Contest Fri., 7:30 p.m., meet near the Pub in the Roundhouse Try your Irish accent skills and win a major award. Who is the judge? The real Irish guy from the band! What do you win? BEER! (the Scottish need not apply). Sure you can fake the Irish accent, but if you don’t mix in a few of these phrases into your sentence structure you will sound like any gobshite. Try phrases like “are ye going for a swalley,” “suck’n’ diesel,’ and “would ya look at the hack of him.” Learning an accent can come in handy for many different occasions, mainly to bewilder your coworkers and friends with your emerald flair. No pre-registration required. All held in the Craft Area. Relax from the hectic day while you make crafts with like-minded people. Friday, 5 p.m. Scottish-Irish Dream Craft Workshop, Celtic dream workshop part 2 w/Ellie Davis and music by Steve Davis & Micah Paisley Expand and exercise your dreaming mind in this workshop that combines music and art. All levels of artistic experience is welcome and encouraged. Saturday, Noon Tree Charms Craft for adults w/Ellie Davis Learn about the beautiful talismans hung in the sacred groves of the Druids and then try your hand at making your own ‘Tree Charm’s’. Saturday, 2 p.m. Ogham Craft for adults w/Ellie Davis Red Hair Contest Sat., 7:30 p.m., in front of the Roundhouse Headline Stage Show off your Celtic spirit and those gorgeous red locks. All shades of red are welcome, whether it has been colored to perfection or it is the real McCoy! Round 1 of the contest will be for ages 17 and under, round 2 will be for ages 18 and up. If you want to participate, come up to the stage when the announcement is made between concerts. Don’t be shy – there are prizes to win and some serious bragging rights are on the line! No pre-registration required. Kilt Contest Sat., 3 p.m., in front of the Knights Inn Main Stage Wear your kilt and show off those hairy knees (women included)! The contest will be judged by Frank and Diane Scott. Frank is the Utah Commissioner for Clan Scott, and Diane is the Treasurer of the Utah Scottish Association. Real prizes will be awarded. No pre-registration required. Have you ever heard of the Ogham, or the Celtic tree alphabet? Learn about one the oldest forms of writing and create your own special ornaments with the personal message of your choice. Especially for Beginners Try a new instrument at one of our new how-to classes this year. Instruments are provided and classes are held in the Superintendent Building. Get a taste for what it’s like to put your hands on an instrument you’ve always wanted to play! Beginning Mandolin: Sat., 12:15 p.m., Teacher: James Arbizu Tin Whistle: Sat., 3:15 p.m. Teacher: Rob Gandara Beginning Fiddle: Sat., 4:15 p.m. Teacher: Hales Family
Demonstrations all Weekend Fiber Arts All day, Friday and Saturday Pole Lathe Demo All day, Friday and Saturday Stuart Davey, of Horsefeathers Woodturning, makes a wide range of items, from the usual bowls, boxes, pens, magic wands and goblets to whimsical Christmas ornaments, whistles, and threaded boxes. Stuart says, “I love to explore new turning methods and techniques. I am always on the prowl for new items to try.” He has been an active member of several local woodturning clubs and the national association. He also volunteers at the annual Utah Woodturning Symposium in Orem, UT. Visit the Warped & Twisted Fiber Guild’s demonstration all weekend, and watch as members continue one of the oldest folk arts in the worldspinning, weaving, knitting, crochet and more. If you pull up a chair, they might even give you a lesson or two! Axes, Oh My!” Do you know the difference between a long sword and a great sword? A saber and a rapier? How about the difference between a thrusting spear, a throwing spear, and a hewing spear? This is a HANDSON demonstration of various types of swords, axes, spears, and other weapons and armor, ranging from the Bronze Age to the early 20th Century, from copper to bronze to high-carbon steel. Participants will have the opportunity to handle and heft actual weapons, don armor, and learn how such items were employed. Medieval Weapons 101 Saturday, 1:15 – 2:45 pm, Roundhouse Be sure to catch C. David Belt’s workshop, “Swords and Spears and Tastings Hard cider, Perry and other medieval era fruit wines Workshop and Tastings with Alan Griffin, $20 registration fee Friday, 4:30 – 5:45 p.m. and Saturday, 12:45 – 2 p.m., Vistors Center Come and learn basic cider and fruit wine making techniques. You’ll get to taste several fruit wines, get recipes and share advice about fermentation and how it was used historically as a way to preserve the harvest. Scottish & Irish Whisky, $40 registration fee Friday, 6 – 7:15 p.m. and Saturday, 4:15 – 5:30 p.m., Vistors Center Join CMS certified Sommelier Mick Kindler in an interactive (okay, drinking) primer on the origins of modern whisky traditions from the places that invented the art – Ireland and Scotland. Taste the distinct differences between different exemplars of the two spirits, and even the differences within their lands, as you learn the reasons for those differences. Space is limited, so early sign up is a must! Visit the Festival Booth in the Marketplace in the Machine Shop for age verification and sign up. After-hours session – Friday, 10 pm – midnight Afternoon session – Saturday, 3 – 4 pm There are two sessions at the festival this year, hosted by the Evanston Irish Session. Bring your instrument and join us! We’ll be following standard “session etiquette” including taking turns calling tunes. Join the Irish Session
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