Montelago Celtic Festival 11th edition welcomes Celtic weddings and the bagpipes of Eastern Europe

MACERATA, Italy - July 9, 2013 - PRLog -- Following a highly successful 10th anniversary in 2012, the Montelago Celtic Festival’s 2013 edition reflects the broad appeal of Celtic culture throughout the world by featuring bands from Poland, Latvia, and Austria for the first time in the festival’s history. In addition, two groups from Scotland will join seven from all corners of Italy in putting on 17 concerts and over 30 hours of music between its two stages. Band performances kick off on Friday afternoon 2nd August, while the last act will bring up the sun on Sunday 4th. Previous editions have featured celebrated Celtic performers such as Hevia (Spain), Kila (Ireland), the Peatbog faeries (Scotland), and Berrogüetto (Galicia).

In addition to musical entertainment, there are also Celtic games (such as tossing the caber), traditional Celtic music and dance workshops, a 7-a-side rugby tournament, fantasy literature presentations, a Celtic village recreation, Celtic battle re-enactments, and over 50 stalls offering crafts, clothing, and curiosities, including a stand dedicated to Tolkein.

On site are a camping area, food and beer stands, a large illuminated parking area, field hospital, chemical toilets, baby park, and a “refreshing point” offering sprays of cool water in the August heat. A bus service will run from Foligno station in Umbria to the festival. Entrance for the weekend cost 20 euro.

New for 2013 are paragliding trips, a dedicated camping area for families with children, and wi-fi capabilities. Most notable, however, was the Montelago community’s request to accommodate Celtic weddings, a ritual that establishes a union between two people with a trial period of one year and one day. Seven couples will participate in two keenly-anticipated events that were significantly over-subscribed.

Also for the first time, the festival web site features all major sections in English.

After its launch in 2003 on the fields of nearby Montelago, the festival moved several years ago to its current site on the Apennine plain of Colfiorito in the municipality of Serravalle di Chienti, which borders the Italian regions of Le Marche and Umbria. Over the years the festival has developed into central Italy’s largest Celtic festival, and today attracts over 20,000 enthusiasts as part of the growing “Montelago community.”  With a friendly atmosphere of camaraderie, there has not been a single negative incident in the festival’s history.

The event is supported by several government entities from the regional level down to local municipalities, and enjoys the patronage of the Irish Embassy in Italy. More recently it has attracted the attention of the Italian government’s Ministry of Youth, which considers the festival to be of significant cultural and social interest.

The festival is organized by Arte Nomade (www.artenomade.com).

Further information:

www.montelagocelticfestival.it

info@montelagocelticfestival.it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2zH6dfOQpw&feature=youtu.be