Here’s a teaser for our March 2011 Ireland Tour. Exploring the links between our own Appalachian culture and Ireland roots, we’ll be visiting the Ulster American Folk Park.
An oft-overlooked fact… over 2 million emigrated to America from Ulster prior to 1900. Collectively, those people had a profound impact on American history and culture. Several American Presidents, most notably Andrew Jackson, U.S. Grant, and Teddy Roosevelt had Ulster roots. The Ulster American Folk Park explores the various reasons for the waves of migration reaching back to the early 1700s. People of all stations of life crossed the Atlantic… destined to become “Americans.”
The Park is a fascinating, open-air, sprawling museum including 30 buildings, some of which are recreations, some being lovingly restored originals. Staffed with interpreters and “people of history,” from them one gains a sense of place and time. Particularly of rural life in the 1700s and 1800s. Visitors are first guided through parts of an Irish village of smallholdings, cottages, churches, weavers shop, and a blacksmith’s shop. You’ll see and hear people go about their daily business as in earlier times.
“Ireland” then “ends” in a city street, complete with well-stocked shops, leading down to a quay. Here a sailing ship awaits…you board … for transport to “America.” Debarking, it’s through the immigration shed into a virtual street from 19th Century Boston. Then journey on until you are in the open countryside. Here, several farmsteads are recreated with a loving eye for detail, complete with crops and livestock. There’s even a log house directly from Greene County, PA.
All in all, the Ulster American Folk Park is an amazing experience. Especially for those of us from American frontier roots. Common traditions continue on both sides of The Atlantic. Of those, music is ever-present. In celebration, the Ulster American Folk Park’s annual Bluegrass Festival has been a calendar highlight for more than sixteen years. Who knows what musical moments we might share there!
To explore more, here’s the website: http://www.nmni.com/uafp
Celtic Force is pleased to announce their partnership with historic Columbia Speedway to present the first edition of Tartan Day South, A Celtic Celebration, on Fri. & Sat. April 1 & 2, 2011.
Friday will feature different activities throughout the greater Columbia area such as whiskey tasting, kilted fashion show and a pub-crawl.
The festival will be featured on Sat. at the Speedway and will include the best in Celtic music, athletic competition, pipe bands, children’s activities, dancing & herding demonstrations along with vendors and other organizations representing the best in Celtic culture, including such notables as Clan MacBubba.
There is a new web site being developed and the musical line up is being selected. We’re working on hotel packages and other cool activities for those that attend. Stay tuned and mark your calendars to be in Columbia, SC on April 1 & 2!
It’s the first TARTAN DAY SOUTH
New River Blues Festival is an event that pays homage to the authentic greats of this most expressive and wonderful of all American roots music.
Through the many years real-deal Blues folks have generously shared their gifts & mentored us. On this special day we celebrate, promote & thank the legends, elders & luminaries who have lighted the way.
At River House Inn, on the banks of the pristine New River, there is a day devoted to WORLD-CLASS BLUES. The setting is wonderfully scenic. Picture a glorious mountain meadow on the edge of a lively river… Now picture a beautiful summer day and hundreds of blues fans dancing in the green grass to the music of living legends. You have just conjured up the NEW RIVER BLUES FESTIVAL now in it’s 8TH year.
On SUNDAY SEPT. 5, 2010 THE NEW RIVER BLUES FESTIVAL (formerlyThe Todd Blues Festival) promises to out-do its past success. The NEW RIVER BLUES FESTIVAL is unique in this Appalachian setting where Bluegrass and Old Time Music reign. The driving forces behind this one-of-a-kind musical gathering are Rob “Hound Dog” Baskerville and Penny “Queen Bee” Zamagni of the internationally acclaimed blues band, The King Bees. Residing in Todd (a nearby village on the New River where the first few fests were held) Baskerville and Zamagni were eager to bring their over 23 years of experience backing up blues greats here and abroad to this unique setting.
Calling upon friendships established through the years with some of the most revered names in blues, The King Bees have offered talent line-ups that rival many major blues festivals in the US and Europe. Fans have loved not only the performances, but also the picturesque surroundings on the banks of the New River a few miles north of Boone.
For more, visit: http://www.myspace.com/newriverbluesfestival
Posted in Festivals | 
blues festival, celtic force, king bees, nc, new river blues festival, river house inn | 
Leave a comment
Source: http://www.edmontonjournal.com
By Roger Levesque, edmontonjournal.com
EDMONTON — Edmonton’s third annual Celtic Festival will pack 11 acts into one long Saturday extravaganza this August.
Celtic rockers Fraid Knot, St. James Gate, Claymore and McQuaig, and acoustic-oriented folk acts like Keri Lynn Zwicker, Sarah Burnell and Stephen Maguire are all set to perform at Hawrelak Park’s Heritage Amphitheatre Saturday, Aug. 14.
Two Edmonton-area dance groups will be on hand, Mattierin Dance Troop and Celtic Dance Academy, while the Edmonton & District Pipe Band will ensure that the pipes are blowing. Finally, Knights of the Northern Realm, a re-enactment troupe will walk the site in period armour with occasional battle skirmishes.
At a media launch Wednesday, spokesman Michael Purcell admitted that the festival “went a little too big, too fast” in expanding to a two-day Friday-Saturday schedule last year. The decision to go with one longer day this year will help the volunteer-run event channel resources more effectively.
“I think we’ve found that there is a large audience for Celtic music,” says Purcell. “We’re developing a large following especially with families. You can get there first thing in the morning and the kids will have a lot to do. It’s a good show for all ages.”
The Celtic Force – Visit our website: www.thecelticforce.com
Stay Connected!
This weekend Celtic Force is handling the entertainment for the Greater Greenville Scottish Festival in South Carolina.
This is a newer event that has grown quickly over the past few years and uses a couple of quality venues. This year will feature Albannach and Coyote Run, both favorites of the festival, at both the Friday night ceilidh (kay-lee), held downtown behind the Peace Center, and all day Saturday at the Entertainment Pavilion at Furman University.
Saturday is full of typical activities for a Scottish event such as highland athletics, pipe bands, clan tents, herding demonstrations, vendors and kids activities.
This year the festival welcomes as a special guest…Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.
Check out the festival web site at www.greenvillegames.org for details and schedules. See you there!
The Celtic Force – Visit our website: www.thecelticforce.com
Stay Connected!
Celtic Force is coming at you in the next several weeks.
We will be handling the entertainment for these upcoming highland games; Gatlinburg, TN May 14-16 featuring Albannach, Cutthroat Shamrock, Thistledown Tinkers, Colin Grant Adams Greenville, SC May 28-29 featuring Albannach, Coyote Run Grandfather, Linville, NC July 8-11.
FINALLY, the line up for the Celtic Groves at Grandfather Mountain Highland Games is set. We are pleased to offer this line up that delivers a very wide range of Celtic music styles. We hope you make plans to join us from July 8-11 for “THE Gathering” at Grandfather Mountain with THE Celtic Force.
This year in celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway we will highlight music of Appalachia by featuring regional artists in Grove 3 and as part of our concerts. Hear the influence that Celtic music played on the development of what has become one of the most popular musical styles in the world.
Performing July 9-11:
Albannach
Brother
Clandestine
Colin Grant Adams
Ed Miller/Jill Chambliss/Scooter Muse
Forget Me Nots
Mother Grove
RG Absher & Celtic Connection
Teribus
The Blessed Blend
The Celtic Force – Visit our website: www.thecelticforce.com
Stay Connected!
Source: http://charlotte.broadwayworld.com
The Blumenthal Performing Arts Center’s Education Department will host a free “Get To Know The Show” event for CELTIC CROSSROADS on Fri., March. 19 at 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. at the Wachovia Atrium. The afternoon’s program will feature the participatory activities to help you learn more about Celtic music (and stories from the past and present).
All participants at the “Get To Know The Show” event will receive a flyer for a discounted ticket to CELTIC CROSSROADS at the Knight Theater on Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. Offer valid so long as tickets are available.
Get to Know the Show – CELTIC CROSSROADS – Wachovia Atrium (301 S. Tryon St., Charlotte, NC 28202)
12:00 p.m- Get to Know the Show program
1:00 p.m. – Get to Know the Show program
The Blumenthal Performing Arts Center’s Education Department will host two free “Get To Know The Show” events for TAO on Mon., Mar. 20 at 12:00 p.m. at ImaginOn and on Wed., Mar. 31 at 12:00 and 1:00 p.m. at the Wachovia Atrium. Japanese Taiko drummers, Yoko and Rocky Iwashima will offer a glimpse of their cultural history by providing a demonstration and participatory activities based on the traditional art of Japanese Taiko drumming. The World of Music Family Festival at ImaginOn on Sat., Mar. 20, 2010 is from 12:00PM – 3:00PM, but the Get to Know TAO will be at 12:30PM and at 2:00PM
For more information, CLICK HERE
The Celtic Force – Visit our website: www.thecelticforce.com
Stay Connected!
Posted in Celtic Music, Events, Festivals | blumenthal charlotte, celtic crossroads, celtic events, celtic festivals, Celtic Music, charlotte, nc | 1 Comment
Posted in ALBANNACH, Celtic Music, Events, Festivals | celtic events, Celtic Music, charlotte, mint hill, nc, scottish music | Leave a comment
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk
This year’s Celtic Connections festival got underway this afternoon with 130 torch-bearers braving the snow and ice. Led by the Scottish Power Pipe Band and the city’s provost, the procession walked from Glasgow’s George Square to the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
Events kick off this evening at the opening concert with a line up of fifty performers including Aidan O’Rourke, Carlos Núñez, Lau, Catriona McKay and Chris Stout.
On Monday we will be updating our Celtic Connections site with photos from the opening weekend’s concerts and don’t forget you can catch the Jewels Of The Ocean concert live from The Old Fruitmarket on BBC Radio Nan Gaidheal on Sunday (17th Jan) evening at 20:00 and also highlights from A Scottish Songbook at the Concert Hall on BBC Two Scotland on Monday (18th Jan) evening at 21:00.
The Celtic Force – Visit our website: www.thecelticforce.com
Stay Connected!
Follow Us
Recent Comments