Come Fly Away At 17th Almonte Celtfest - THIS WEEKEND!

The 17th Almonte Celtfest, July 5-7, celebrates the music, song and dance traditions of the Ottawa-Ottawa Valley region. 

Celtfest 2013 is thrilled to have Westjet offer 2 tickets to anywhere the airline flies to as the main prize offering for the Celtfest fundraising raffle. Limited to 2000 tickets at $10 per ticket, your purchase will make you a proud supporter of Celtfest and could take you to Hawaii, the Caribbean, or anywhere in the US and Canada.

Celtfest welcomes the return of The Town Pants as main stage headliners for this year’s festival. With over a decade worth of headlining Roots and Celtic festivals The Town Pants own brand of Celtic-Roots-Rock-Rebel spans six albums, and with a legendary live show that’s garnered them fans internationally from New York to Norway.

Celtfest commences on Friday night with music in area pubs. On Saturday, July 6th, Celtfest Instrument Workshops with excellent instructors are at the Almonte Old Town Hall from 10:30 am to 2:00 pm, and these feature: Fundamental Fiddle with Don Fletcher, Piano Accompaniment with Jake Butineau, Basic Bodhran with Art Solomonian, Mandolin & Tenor Banjo, with Bruce Barton, Celtic Harp with Heather Flinn, Intermediate Fiddle with Cindy Thompson, Tin Whistle & Flute with Graham Lindsey, Intermediate Bodhran with Alistair Dennett, Guitar Accompaniment with Ben Deschamps. Fee is $20 per workshop (or $30 for two).

A Celtfest Special Storytelling Event at the Almonte Public Library features “The Tales of King Arthur” - a show of story and song for children and their parents presented by Heather Dale and Ben Deschamps on Saturday July 6th at 11 am, Admission is free.

A Storytelling Workshop follows at the Library at noon with Heather Dale ( 10 per adult plus $2 for each additional family member).

The great Valley MC’s Reg Gamble and Charlie Kitts host Gemmill Park’s Main Stage events on Saturday from 2:00 pm until dusk with The Barley Shakers, Dai Bassett, Corkery Road, Sarah Burnell Band, Heather Dale, Cindy Thompson and The Town Pants  

Celtfest Sunday Main Stage festival commences at Noon in Gemmill Park and extends to 6pm with the Monday Night Fiddlers, Celtic Cross Dancers, and return sets by Sarah Burnell Band, Heather Dale, Cindy Thompson and The Town Pants.  

Almonte’s downtown shops, restaurants and The Riverwalk are great complements to the activities in Gemmill Park. The Celtfest site features Artisans, children’s activities and an open “jam” session tent for all who bring instruments

There is a great variety of food and beverages for all. Come and celebrate the “unofficial” kick-off to summer in the Ottawa Valley. For more info see www.almonteceltfest.com .