September 25, 2014
Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Check out KVMR’s Celtic Festival and Marketplace
The Nevada County Fairgrounds is transformed into a Celtic Village, and world-famous Celtic musicians perform on the main stage. Shopping and dining opportunities abound with more than 50 vendors and a complete Irish Pub. Hundreds of regional performers, singers, bagpipers, actors, jugglers and storytellers roam the fairgrounds.
Main Stage musical headliners include Mary Jane Lamond & Wendy MacIsaac, The Screaming Orphans, Runa, Hanz Araki Band featuring ColleenRaney, 1916, Tempest and A Thousand Years At Sea.
KVMR will again be offering its Free Friday Youth Arts Program, giving local students ages 10-18 the opportunity to participate in workshops with headline performers. It’s grown to be a wonderful afternoon of music, magic, dance and arts instruction for aspiring artists. New this year will be the Friday night Ceilidh – a Celtic party with music, dancing and revelry under the stars.
Musicians are encouraged to bring their instruments and join in with jam sessions and workshops scheduled throughout the weekend. History buffs can explore several encampments of “Guilds” who re-create points and places in time. Some groups represent royalty and others demonstrate how peasants and gentry lived in Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Exciting and educational, the Celtic Animals exhibit houses falcons, eagles, hawks, owls, sheep and ponies.
Amateur and professional athletes test their strength and skill in Scottish Games. Children are kept engaged with arts and crafts, story telling, and romping on the straw bales. Seniors are admitted an hour before the event opens on Sunday and treated to scones and tea. The festival is disabled accessible. Camping and RV hookups are available on-site, and music continues in the wee hours in the campground.
The Celtic Marketplace captivates festival attendees and this year will be no exception, as you’ll surrender to the spell of medieval village shopping. A variety of tasty, hearty and wonderful food and beverages from the Celtic lands and abroad will be available for purchase.
The KVMR Celtic festival is presented by Community Radio KVMR in cooperation with the BriarPatch Coop Natural Foods Community Market.
For information and tickets, visit http://www.kvmrcelticfestival.org/, call (530) 265-9073, or email .
Photos by Janet Comontofski.
