The 16th annual Arizona Highland Celtic Festival celebrates the charms of the British Isles

By Betsey Bruner Published on 07/18/2013

Near noon, a fresh breeze scours over the green fields in Foxglenn Park. Rumblings of thunder echo off the San Francisco Peaks, as Payne’s-gray monsoon clouds gather overhead. A young bagpiper stands, feet firmly planted, and plays a highland tune that cracks the air with its piercing tones. Folks stay warm in the pub tent, sampling wine, beer and mead. A burley athlete with arm tattoos rests a heavy rock on his shoulder, before his toss in the stone put competition during the Scottish highland games.

Welcome to the 16th annual Arizona Highland Celtic Festival, which happens Saturday and Sunday this weekend. A full schedule of events in the two-day extravaganza are spread out over four different sections of the park.

This very fun festival offers something for folks of all ages, from babes in kilts to white-bearded elders who demonstrate crafts, wage mock battle and play flutes.

The Celtic Kid’s Corner will feature a maypole dance, materials for drawing Celtic birds, exploring a mysterious Celtic Labyrinth and doing brass rubbing, not to mention the famous Oatmeal Toss where kids have fun with 75 gallons of oatmeal that they toss at an unfortunate target.

Attendance has grown each year to the more than 8,300 people who visited the festival last year, from all areas of Arizona, as well as out-of-state and international travelers.

All those who flock to the highlands here come to experience, enjoy and learn about the Celtic regions of Western Europe, each with its own indigenous culture and distinctive language—Asturias, Brittany, Cornwall, Galicia, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Scotland and Wales.

To further the Celtic cause

The Arizona Highland Celtic Festival is the biggest yearly fundraiser for the Northern Arizona Celtic Heritage Society, the nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and furthering the cause of Celtic culture.

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View PDF See all print ads “It’s magic! It’s like a huge family reunion,” says Jude McKenzie, NACHS president. “When you walk in the gate, we hope you are transported to a fun and magical Celtic place.”

The organization also funds scholarships for students of the Celtic arts, dispensing more than $73,000 in scholarships for Celtic cultural studies of many types over the past 16 years.

“That is give-back in a major way,” notes Michael Satterwhite, a NACHS member and volunteer.

With this strong emphasis on culture, the festival hosts a number of workshops that teach about Celtic history, the Gaelic language, how to properly wear a kilt, the art of Celtic storytelling, how to play various instruments, including musical bones and the bodhran, a tambourine-like drum.

Volunteers of all ages lead the workshop, and McKenzie says she has about 300 dedicated volunteers helping with a wide variety of tasks.

“I am humbled and amazed at the willingness of people to share of their time and talents to make the festival happen,” she says. “Our two volunteers from afar (New York and Wales) are a prime example.”

Lively music and dance

Music reigns at the festival, with live entertainment on various stages around the fairgrounds featuring the rousing music of the Wicked Tinkers, the Knockabouts and Cinnamon Twist. New this year is the band Runa, whose members hail from Dublin to Louisville and share a heartfelt vision that breathes fresh life into traditional Celtic music, from ballads to reels, to Gaelic poetry and bold step dancing.

Robert Watt, a master and championship piper from Maghera, Northern Ireland, will be giving one afternoon performance on both Saturday and Sunday.

In addition to the great Highland bagpipes, Watt plays other pipes, including the bellows-blown Lowland (small) pipes, Border pipes and the Irish Uilleann pipes.

He also plays the humble Irish pennywhistle, and delights listeners at the festival with his emotional rendition of “Danny Boy” on the whistle.

Continuous events on Saturday include young Irish dancers demonstrating their skills during the Highland Dance Competition, as well as the Bagpipe Competition, both taking place in the South Field.

Lots to eat and drink

Trotting around to all these activities is going to make folks hungry and thirsty. No problem, as eating and drinking are big parts of the festival.

Southern California resident Ray Pearson, who hosts the single-malt Scotch whisky tastings, always makes sure tasters understand all the complexities about sipping and enjoying the finest whisky.

“What sets the festival apart from other similar events is the educational content for all ages,” Pearson says. “The workshops are unique offerings.”

In addition to whisky, attendees can sample and learn about regional wines, beers, mead and ciders and other drinks from all eight Celtic regions will be available for purchase in the Spirits of the Celtic Regions display, along with expert commentary about each.

Intriguing smells waft through the air as vendors sell tasty treats like fish and chips, beef dishes made from Highland Cow beef, legendary corned beef, meat pies of all sorts, and the infamous haggis, that Scottish dish made from chopped lamb’s heart, lungs, and liver mixed with suet, oats, onions and seasonings, all packed into a round sausage skin.

Showing athletic skills

Between other activities, guests will be invited to visit myriad of booths offering Celtic merchandise, such as penny whistles, musical CDs, books, jewelry and ethnic clothing items.

One of the most thrilling elements of the festival are the Highland athletic games, where hardy men and women in kilts throw ponderous objects like weights and cabers during the Scottish heavy-athletic events.

Sunday morning brings the Celtic Mile race, with two professional runners participating: Andrew Lemoncello, who was born in Scotland, lives in Flagstaff and ran in the 2008 Olympic Games; and Greg McMillan, a former champion distance runner, who is now an internationally known distance running coach and co-founder of Team USA Arizona.

Equally athletic are the tug o’ war competitions, which begin Sunday at 12:30 p.m. in the South Field and have teams of lads pitted against lads, and lassies facing off against lassies.

“Flagstaff’s Celtic Festival gets better and better,” observes Ken McIntosh, a NACHS member and longtime volunteer. “I feel privileged to be part of it.”

Answer the Celtic call!

The 16th annual Arizona Highland Celtic Festival is Saturday, July 20, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, July 21, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. All events are in Foxglenn Park, 4200 E. Butler. Admission for adults is $15 for one day and $22 for two days. For children 2 to 12, admission is $4 for one day and $6 for two days. Children younger than 2 are free. Free parking is available across the street at Sinagua Middle School, and a free shuttle service is provided. Pets are not permitted.

For more information about NACHS and the festival, visit www.nachs.info or call 556-3161.