FLAGSTAFF - Can you hear the pipes?
The Northern Arizona Celtic Festival and Highland Games are set for July 16-17 at Fort Tuthill County Park in Flagstaff. It is a weekend of culture and art, music and history, clans and kilts, whisky and amazing feats of strength.
Northern Arizona Celtic Heritage Society runs the festival while Flagstaff Highland Games runs the athletic competition. The festival hours are 9 a.m.-7 p.m. July 16 and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. July 17. The games run from 8 a.m. Saturday through 4 p.m. Sunday.
Live music will include The Wicked Tinkers, Killian’s Angels, The Knockabouts and the Flagstaff Irish Session Players.
There will be historical demonstrations on weaving, knitting, leatherworking, woodworking, musket drills and swordsmanship. Learn about plants from Celtic regions or check out the whisky tasting, beer and food vendors – many other vendors as well.
There will also be workshops on genealogy, country dance, bagpipes, bodhran, musical bones and wheat weaving.
The kids can enjoy their own area of games and crafts.
Tickets are available at the gate. Entry is $20 per adult for one day or $30 for both days. There are discounts for military and seniors age 60 and up ($15/$25). Children age 5-12 get in for $5. Children under 5 get in free. Well-socialized dogs are also welcome.
Meanwhile, the Highland athletes will be tossing cabers, throwing stones, tossing sheaf and throwing hammers. They’ll try to throw “weight over bar” (WOB).
Learn more about the Celtic Festival and the Highland Games at the NACHS.info.website.