By Ray Pearson with Photos By Betsey Bruner

Overheard at last year’s festival:

  • “C’mon, Dad, I want to learn more about raptors and geology.”
  • “Did you know a labyrinth is a maze?”
  • “That kid over there is younger than me, and she’s playing the bagpipe. Can I do it?”

Nope, the Arizona Highland Celtic Festival is not a super camp for young brainiacs and prodigies. One of the things it is, however, is a once-a-year opportunity for families and folks of all ages to become immersed in “things Celtic”. In fact, the motto of the group presenting the festival is “To present, promote, and preserve Celtic culture.” This is usually done through fun activities, where the learning sneaks in the back door.

 

An exotic bird show is a major educational attraction

For the little ones, The Kids’ Area offers a wide range of interactive situations like digging for potatoes in Ireland (actually a kiddie pool filled with wood chips, hiding real potatoes). For the little- bit-older set, there’s the oatmeal toss, with gallons of the gooey stuff available to lob at ogres and denizens of Celtic mythology (and learn the importance of the humble food in Celtic history.)

 

Get your kids excited about careers in agriculture!

Single malt whisky tastings,  black powder firing re-enactments, spinning and weaving demonstrations, and the straight-backed, shoe-clacking precision of Irish dancers are just a few of the crowd-pleasing activities happening throughout the weekend. Over the years, workshops have become immensely popular. This year nearly a dozen will be offered, including hands-on opportunities to play the musical bones, spoons and the bodhran, learn about Celtic salt and how it’s harvested from the sea in several Celtic regions, and hear tales of Celtic myths, legends, heroes and villains.

A black powder demo for the gun lovers

Jewels in the festival crown include athletic competitions (brawny guys do not throw telephone poles, they toss the caber), Highland dance competitions (did you know the Highland Fling is based on a war dance?), and Piping and Drumming competitions. Clans (families sharing a common ancestry) and Celtic organizations welcome guests to discover genealogy, family history, and modern-day links to the Old World.

 

You’ll never look at another telephone pole without thinking, “How far could I throw that?”

Authentic, high-quality food and merchandise, representative of the Celtic regions, are the mainstays in the vendors area, along with opportunities for such unusual things as printing your personal coat of arms and family history. This year, the insanely popular Wicked Tinkers and the always fun, Knockabouts, will get the crowds into the spirit of the weekend. New entertainers include Bua, a group of Irish singers, and Tramor, a group of pan-Celtic performers, including a Welsh bag-piper.