Potomac Celtic Festival Returns

The Potomac Celtic Festival returns June 13 and 14th at Morven Park in Leesburg, Virginia with performances by Bruce Molsky, Scottish band Cantrip, Tinsmith, Iona, Beggars' Circus, the Irish Inn Mates and Furnace Mountain, plus a dance stage, crafters, workshops, Celtic clans and societies and athletic demonstrations.

Every year, thousands of fans descend upon the Festival, which features the cultures of all the Celtic Nations, including Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, The Isle of Man, Brittany (France), and Asturias (Spain). With the stunning backdrop of Loudoun County horse and winery country, and just 30 minutes from the Washington Beltway, the Potomac Celtic Festival is a prime attraction amongst the spectacular historical sites and rolling hills.

This year's festival offers acclaimed musicians, and dancers, storytellers, poets and workshops, activities for children of all ages, the wares of many juried craft exhibitors and specialty import vendors, over 2000 years of historical reenactment, the pageantry of our bagpipe led parade of Celtic Clans and Societies, food for every taste, and a selection of fine ale, beer, wine and soft drinks. All of the family fun that has become synonymous with PCF! In 2009, the Potomac Celtic Festival welcomes back the award-winning Tarara Winery. Come sample their fine wines by the glass, or take home a bottle.

Featured musicians, bands and dancers this year include Scotland's own, Cantrip, Internationally known fiddle master Bruce Molsky, Iona, Tinsmith, Furnace Mountain, The Irish Inn Mates, The Bog Band, the award winning Culkin School of Traditional Irish Dance, sean-nos dancer, Shannon Dunne and Friends and many more! Discount tickets are on sale now at potomaccelticfest.org. Updates will be added to the web site as they become available.

Visit the festval web site at potomaccelticfest.org or the Festival MySpace page at myspace.com/potomac_celtic_festival.

Volunteer at the Festival

For 16 years the Potomac Celtic Festival has been more than just a cultural heritage festival; it has been a labor of love, run by a staff of volunteers, craftspeople, vendors, historians, and performers. Without the dedicated volunteers who come out each year, the Festival simply couldn't happen. As the Festival returns this year to a full two days, it needs additional volunteers, and many positions are still not filled.

You can join the us by volunteering your time to help with all aspects of the Festival. When you work a half-day shift as a volunteer, your admission to the Festival is free, and you get to enjoy the Festival for the remainder of the your day.

To sign up as volunteer, just go to the Festival web site and visit the Participation page.

The Potomac Celtic Alliance is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to present the cultures of Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany, and Galicia, and their evolution in North America, with integrity and accuracy.

Kerry Dexter is the Music Editor for Wandering Educators.

Kerry's credits include VH1, CMT, the folk music magazine Dirty Linen,
Strings, and The Encyclopedia of Ireland and the Americas. She also
writes about the arts and creative practice at http://www.musicroad.blogspot.com Music Road.. You may reach her at music at wanderingeducators dot com.