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Rich traditions come alive each year at the Celtic Fling and Highland Games celebration on the grounds of the PA Renaissance Faire. Spanning over 35 acres, the Celtic spirit captivates the hearts of all who join the festivities. There is something for everyone – a music festival, dance competition, sporting event, cultural celebration, food fest, and crafts fair, all in one dazzling weekend.
Music for Your Heart & Soul
The Celtic Fling is the premiere location to enjoy top-notch Celtic musicians. The weekend celebration kicks off with a Friday Night Concert, June 21st, featuring headliner, Gaelic Storm, with their high-energy, feel-good music. Seven Nations and Kilmaine Saints will open the evening’s concert with their own brands of charismatic stage presence and driven instrumentation.
Saturday and Sunday, the non-stop entertainment plays on with its’ rich blend of traditional and modern performances on eight stages. Back by popular demand are the Scotland-born members of Albannach. The Celtic Fling proudly welcomes successful grassroots band, Enter the Haggis for their Sunday-only appearance. The feast for music lovers continues with the kicked up Celtic music of Scythian and the feverish tempo of The Town Pants. Brother, Burning Bridget Cleary, Irish Blessing, Kilmaine Saints, Neidfyre, Ramblin’Rose, Seasons and Seven Nations will take guests to soaring heights with powerful bagpipes, Celtic fiddles and traditional Irish music and dance. The song and story-telling of Rathkeltair will keep audiences on the edge of their seats and Seamus Kennedy will amuse with his choruses of children’s songs.
The Feis – Irish Dance Competition
Saturday, June 22nd, thousand of dancers and their families will participate in the Celtic Fling Feis Competition, officially sanctioned by the North American Feis Commission and the only Feis in Central, PA. The Feis competition showcases traditional Irish dance and welcomes girls, boys, men and women ranging in ability from beginner to champion competing in hard shoe and elegant soft shoe jigs. Visitors will get a rare look at this unique dance practiced today as it was since 18th century rural Ireland.
Athletics Scottish Style
Saturday’s Celtic Fling’s Highland Games, officially sanctioned by the Mid-Atlantic Scottish Athletics Association, adds an element of sporting excitement to the day, as men and women compete in the Clachneart or “Stone of Strength”, Scottish Hammer, the Caber Toss, the Sheaf Toss and the 4 Stone Weight Throw for Height. The Athlete of the Day earns an automatic berth in the East Coast Championship in Alexandria, VA.
On Sunday, Highland Games experts will provide a demonstration of how to properly throw the caber and sheaf. Following the instructional time, visitors can test their strength with an attempt to toss the caber and sheaf with the best of them.
Sunday’s athletics will also include unique exhibitions by The Harrisburg Rugby Club and Philadelphia based hurling club, Na Toraldhe.
The Grace of Tradition
The Celtic Fling will showcase an array of Celtic history, culture and tradition. Historians, storytellers, re-enactors will round out the weekend’s festivities. A gathering of the Clans will offer the chance to explore clan histories and become familiar with the worthwhile missions the clans and societies maintain.
Food, Drink and Crafts
The Celtic Fling offers a variety of authentic foods that originated in the Celtic nations centuries ago. Twenty-three feast kitchens will offer a wide variety of Celtic dishes, such as Haggis and Shepherd’s Pie, available at Argyle Café and Tiger Pies served from Feile and Irish Boxty Corned Beef and Cabbage from The Bubble and Squeak. The most popular food items of the Celtic Fling, the Scotch Egg, will be served from its new location, Ispini Ugh. The challenge will be to break last year’s Scotch Egg record of 2,933 sold. Giant cookies, 1-pound cake slices and gourmet flavored whoopie pies will satisfy every sweet tooth.
Thirsty visitors can quench their thirst with a variety of handcrafted ales brewed by the on-site Swashbuckler Brewing Company. The new Crown and Comb will resurrect the ancient recipes for Braggot and Heather Ale. Mount Hope Wines will be available for both complimentary sampling and sale. A limited bottling of Mount Hope’s Highland Honey Mead will be available to take home. Non-alcoholic beverages will be served at Sir Slushie’s and A Knights Ale.
In addition to the 100 resident Renaissance Faire shops, the Celtic Fling will welcome a plethora of guest artisans and merchants. These merchants will be offering an assortment of edibles such as Welsh cookies, hot sauces and beef jerky. Others will offer a wide variety of collectibles like handcrafted jewelry, stained glass, and Celtic clothing, novelties and souvenirs.
The Celtic Fling and Highland Games take place Friday night June 21 with the pre-Fling concert. The gate opens for the Friday concert at 5:30 PM and tickets are $24.95 at the gate. Saturday and Sunday, June 22 and 23, Fling hours are 11 am to 10 pm. One-day Saturday or Sunday admission at the gate is $26.95 for adults and $10.95 for children ages 5 to 11. Discounted Fling tickets are available, in advance, online or by purchasing a two-day pass. Festival details, performer biographies and advanced one or two-day tickets are available at PaRenFaire.com or by calling (717) 665-7021.
The Celtic Fling & Highland Games is located on the grounds of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire on Route 72, one-half mile South of PA Turnpike exit 266, 14 miles East of Hershey and 15 miles North of Lancaster.
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