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

By Maureen Perdomo and Jack Long, Guest Writers

In early July, on a crisp Sunday morning in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, the sounds of the song “The Kiss,” from the movie, “The Last of the Mohicans,” could be heard filtering down through the rocks and the crags into the valleys below.

Above, on a mile-high pedestrian bridge, 28 members of the Chelsea House Orchestra played as they crossed from one peak to another, bringing their version of “Celtic with a kick” to yet another part of the world.

This glorious site was the conclusion of CHO’s first trip to the annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, where the largest gathering of the clans in the United States takes place each year to celebrate their Scottish heritage.

This trip would also mark the beginning of one of the busiest and most traveled months in the CHO’s history, putting in over 2,400 miles in a three-week period in a tour that covered shows in North Carolina, Jackson, Edinboro, Pa., Grass Lake and ending in Chelsea.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE

Have you always wanted to go to Scotland or Ireland but just haven’t been able to?  Well now is your chance! 

For just $10 you and a family member or friend can enjoy one of five tour packages to Scotland or Ireland – winners choice.  The Williamsburg Scottish Festival, in partnership with Guardian Travel Chesapeake and Celtic Force Enterprise, will be raffling a tour for two on Saturday October 2 at the Main Parade Field closing ceremony. 

You do not need to be present to win.  Only 3,900 tickets will be sold.  All proceeds of this raffle will be used to pay for Festival Competition cost and scholarships of winners.  Here are the tour raffle options.  You do not need to make a choice until the day you win.

For more information, visit the raffle site: http://www.wsfonline.org/tour-raffle.org

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

The Celtic Force – Visit our website: www.thecelticforce.com

It is our honored pleasure to announce the formation of The Society of William Wallace USA.  “Wallace USA” represents the coming together of both Americans and Scots in their shared passion for those principles for which William Wallace stood. Namely, his love of Scotland, its people, and their freeborn right to freedom.

“Wallace USA” owes its foundation and allegiance to The Society of William Wallace in Scotland.  As such, our causes, goals and objectives shall be consistent with those of our parent organization. Through the works of our Society, we seek to emulate the ideals of William Wallace.  We also seek to honor and preserve the memory of our departed friend David R. Ross who himself did much for love of Wallace and Scotland.

“Wallace USA’ shall be participating at the Grandfather Mtn. Highland Games, held 8-11, July. Organizational meeting shall be held Saturday the 10th, at 11am in The Chieftain’s Tent.  Membership is open to all who share similar interests and values.  Application forms will be made available shortly and a Facebook page is being constructed. More information will be forthcoming very soon!

The Celtic Force – Visit our website: www.thecelticforce.com

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