Niagara County NY Celtic Fest Bigger and Better Than Ever

OTHER, N.Y. - Aug. 28, 2013 - PRLog -- Olcott, N.Y. - Sept. 14, 2013- The 13th annual Niagara Celtic Heritage Festival and Highland Games will take place in Olcott, N.Y. on Saturday Sept. 14 and Sunday Sept. 15 at Krull Park, located in Historic Olcott Beach.

An array of special events take place over the festival weekend, including two ceremonial parades each day, featuring Clan groups, bagpipe bands, reenactors, a re-creation of the marine landing of the Bonnie Prince Charlie, and an evening jam session of Celtic musicians called a Siesiun.

New this year, the Niagara Celtic Heritage society will sponsor an off-site 5K run, with the proceeds benefiting the Newfane Women's Lacrosse club. The run will take place Sunday Sept. 15, and participants are encouraged to wear Celtic-themed costumes.

South Buffalo natives the McCarthy brothers will make a strong appearance, with all three brothers appearing over the weekend with their own bands. Catch and Release, McCarthyism and Kevin McCarthy will all perform over the weekend and fans of the South Buffalo Musicians may even see a long awaited collaboration between the family members.

Last year roughly 12,000 people attended the festival. That number continues to grow each year. The festival features a diverse selection of activities including its latest offering, a Celtic College where attendees can learn firsthand about genealogy and how to play bagpipes.
The festival also celebrates the history and pride of the Scottish people at the Clan Row. The Living History component features reenactors from all over the region. There is a wonderful array of animal demonstrations and a petting zoo as well.
One of the most popular features of the festival is the Kid's Corner, which features a bubble center, face painting, Irish games, castle ring toss and many other kid-friendly activities.
Over thirty music acts are appearing on three stages, ranging from regional acts to international favorites. The culminating musical event is a Saturday night Ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee) headlined by the Glengarry Bhoys, along with Penny Whiskey and the McMahon School of Dance.
For sports fans, the festival features a Highland Games competition. The centuries old strongman competitions feature events like a caber pole toss, stone throw, and weights thrown for distance. There are professional and amateur divisions and for the first time a Master's Division.