- April 25, 2024
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by: Julia Truilo
Executive Director, Ormond Beach MainStreet
The 10th annual Ormond Beach Celtic Festival — usually held each spring during the third week of April — has finally arrived. Clans, pipers, and highland games athletes will gather on Sept. 11 and 12, at the traditional spot in Rockefeller Gardens and Fortunato Park for two days of folk music, food, and fun from the seven Celtic Nations and beyond.
The festival occupies two downtown parks along the Halifax River and fills them with four music stages, a Highland Games, clans, and Celtic societies from throughout the region as well as a host of other activities. Voted the "Best Local Event" in the News-Journal’s Readers’ Choice poll, the weekend attracts more than 8,000 locals and visitors each year. Admission is $10 each day for adults. Children 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets are available at the gate or online at buytickets.at/ormondbeachmainstreet. There is plenty of free parking, including free off-site parking with a free shuttle service to allow everyone access to the Festival activities.
Off Kilter, the popular Celtic Rock band, will headline both days of the event. The band is a unique blend of traditional Celtic tunes and songs with a rock twist, popular covers arranged with a Celtic rock feel, and original songs using everything from the bagpipe to the electric guitar. After an 18-year run as one of the most popular bands at Walt Disney World, they currently tour the country.
Music will be everywhere as nineteen bands and two Celtic dance troupes from throughout the region appear all weekend-long playing traditional Celtic and folk music. In addition to all the music on stage, the festival’s two pipe bands, Rosy O’Grady’s Highlanders and the city of Mt. Dora Pipers, lead daily parades by all the attending clans and fill the air with the sound of bagpipes.
The Celtic Festival is a great family outing, with crafts and activities for the young ones both days. On Saturday, dress in your best costume — be it princess, pirate, kilt, or armor — and compete to be the Wee Lady and Chieftain of this year’s Festival. The competition is open to children between 6 and 9 years old. Find out more at ormondbeachcelticfestival.com/littlemiss.html.
On Sunday, be sure to be there for our annual Dog Parade. If your dog is an Irish setter, a Welsh corgi, or a Scottie dog — or you just want to dress your pup in plaid — bring them out for the fun. All breeds are welcome! Just bring a donation or food for the Halifax Humane Society and your dog will be entered in the parade. Sign up early by purchasing your dog food or making your donation at any time between now and the festival at Nauti Pets, 159 E. Granada Blvd. and receive a coupon good for discount festival admission. Dogs can also be entered in the parade by bringing your contribution to the festival on Sunday.
Fortunato Park, on the north side of the bridge, is home to the Saturday Highland Games and Sunday’s sheep herding and athletic demonstrations. Our Highland Games are sanctioned by the North American Scottish Games Athletics organization, so its competitors rack up points toward the ultimate goal of competing in Scotland. Male and female athletes from around the region are expected to attend the Games and demonstrate their strength by throwing the caber, the hammer, or the stone put all day Saturday.
If you’re more interested in traditional food than traditional sport, make sure to grab a pint of Guinness or Tomoka Brewery’s Irish Red to drink with your meat pies, shortbread, or fish and chips. Visit our Celtic vendors and food stalls. Relax with a pint of Guinness along the beautiful Halifax River. Get your own kilt. Play a game. Discover your inner Celt. Take home something beautiful. Experience the Ormond Beach Celtic Festival!
For more information, please contact [email protected]. For updated music schedules visit OrmondBeachCelticFestival.com
