Category: Festivals
The Spanish Peaks International Celtic Festival will be held September 19-22 in Huerfano County, Colorado, with events taking place in the communities of La Veta, Walsenburg, Gardner, and Cuchara, and at Uptop on Old La Veta Pass.
This festival is now in its 13th year fulfilling its mission to serve Huerfano County and beyond with fantastic concerts, singing, dancing, and tale-spinning plus a wide variety of instrumental workshops taught by our guest artists. The festival also provides free community activities like the 6th Street Hooley Concert in Walsenburg; their very popular picnic ceili (a musical party) at Up Top; Scottish and Irish folk dancing in La Veta Park; a Sunday Sing Along, and numerous free beginning instrumental workshops. Then there is our all-important Schools Outreach Program, which includes artists’ visits to every school in Huerfano County.
The Spanish Peaks Celtic Festival is designed as an intimate four-day gathering led by renowned guest artists, teachers, and scholars from Celtic countries abroad, Canada, and the United States. The Festival offers over 60 different events, including major concerts; two singing programs; instrumental workshops and master classes; a series of demonstration talks and performances on aspects of Celtic music, history, and folklore; a Celtic Harp Retreat; a newly established Piping Retreat; and sprinkled throughout are ceilidhs/ceilis and playing sessions where anyone can freely join in or enjoy as an audience. Finally, the friendly ambiance and spontaneous interplay between artists and participants spark the exciting sharing of music, ideas, and knowledge, all reflected gifts from the fullness of a rich Celtic experience.
More information, tickets, schedule, and more at http://celticmusicfest.com/
5 August 2019 Michael 0 Comments
Wild Mountain has announced they are returning to the scene of their last video shoot – Violet’s Venue in Wheat Ridge this Friday – at 9:00 pm. This will be their warm up for the Colorado Irish Festival. Come and check out the band. They will feature some new songs.
12 July 2018 Michael 0 Comments
Image courtesy Colorado Dulcimer Festival
Come and learn how to play, or improve your current technique on the Mountain or Hammered Dulcimer. This is an entertaining, educational festival (held at St. James Presbyterian Church 3601 West Bellvue Avenue, Littleton, Colorado 80123) with 2 days of workshops on February 2nd and 3rd , 2018.
Classes are available for absolute beginners to advanced players. Rental Instruments are available. You will encounter many styles of music, from Celtic to Old-time to fiddle tunes and sometimes even Jazz or ragtime! There are multiple jam sessions on both days and concerts both evenings. We have out of state guest teachers, nationally known players (and 3 national champions! )who teach both instruments, and also wonderful local teachers. Our nationally known guest teachers this year are Kim McKee (with her husband Ken Willson) from Colorado Springs (mountain dulcimer) , and Ted Yoder from Goshen, Indiana (Hammered Dulcimer).
This year we have a new Children’s Mountain Dulcimer afternoon workshop on Saturday 1:30-4:20 plus optional participation in the contra dance band from 4:30 to 5:45-this is geared for children ages 8-12.
No previous experience necessary and dulcimers will be provided. See website for registration and details.
We welcome back out of state teachers Erin Mae(mountain Dulcimer) and our festival’s founder and great teacher in both hammered and mountain dulcimer, Steve Eulberg. Our great local instructors will be Bonnie Carol, Tina Gugeler, Dianne Jeffries, Paul Weidig, Malacha Hall, and Judy Jones. A returning popular feature that premiered last year will be a contra dance where participants can play in the band or dance (no previous experience required!). The Colorado Dulcimer Orchestra will also perform.\
Many of our instructors play in the 2 nightly concerts, so be sure to come hear these instruments played by some of the best performers in the country! Each evening’s concert will be different, and both are sure to please. Expect an exciting, unique acoustic evening of many different instruments and styles of music.
Concerts are open to the public, with tickets available at the door both nights (concerts will be from 7-9:30 pm). If you are curious to hear or are interested in learning either of these wonderful instruments, attend the workshops and/or come to the concerts!
Information on costs, further details and registration at http://www.coloradodulcimerfestival.com
1 November 2017 Michael 0 Comments
Colorado Irish Festival, July 14-16 at Clement Park in Littleton, has announced the lineup for music at this year’s event. Here are the headliners:
- The Young Dubliners – Fri, July 14 only
- The Elders – Sat & Sun, July 15 & 16
- Gaelic Storm – Sunday, July 16 only
- Cassie & Maggie – Fri, Sat & Sun
- Socks in the Frying Pan – Fri, Sat & Sun
- Pogey – Sat & Sun
- and lots of group local bands too!
BUY TICKETS NOW!!
It’s also time to volunteer! Volunteering means donating your time. Event volunteering means being a part of something special. Volunteering at the 2017 Colorado Irish Festival …..a sense you can only get from putting community and cultural pride into action. Over 400 enthusiastic and generous volunteers are the cornerstone of the Colorado Irish Festival.
There are numerous volunteer positions available – front gate, festival store, beverage concessions, security, food/beverage loading stations and MORE! To start the process, click link below and follow the simple steps to complete the process. AS A VOLUNTEER, YOU RECEIVE FREE EVENT ADMISSION FOR THE DAY THAT YOU VOLUNTEER! (If you volunteer Friday night, you receive either Saturday or Sunday free event admission).
Volunteer Registration Now Open
18 April 2017 Michael 0 Comments
Angus Mohr at Colorado Tartan Day 2017 Photo by Michael P. Thompson
Tartan Day is a celebration of Scottish culture and heritage. Here is Colorado, we celebrate it on the weekend closest to the official date of April 6. Colorado Tartan Day Festival is an event where we wear the kilt, represent our clans, enjoy the food and drink of Scotland, and mostly just have a great time with our friends of Scottish heritage.
Of course, music is an important part of that celebration, and Angus Mohr has been a supporter of that tradition for many years now. The band describes themselves as playing “Highland Rock and Roll” and they definitely fulfill that description. Angus Mohr revitalizes traditional Celtic music’s brogue with an American blues accent while rejuvenating rock ’n roll’s broad spectrum with bagpipes and pennywhistles. No one is ever going to mistake Angus Mohr for a cover band. Sure, they play songs like “Foggy Dew,” the 1916 Easter Rising ballad, and “Whisky in the Jar,” a sixteenth century tale of love and betrayal, and their set list is peppered with songs penned by Dylan, Pink Floyd, Johnny Cash, and the Ramones. But you’ve never heard “Ring of Fire” or “I Wanna Be Sedated” until you’ve heard it with the pipes’ spiraling keen.
They kind of defy description, but they’re definitely entertaining and get the crowds rocking and dancing. Their next live performance is at Odyssey Beerwerks Anniversary Party – all day Saturday May 20. Make plans to be there.
10 April 2017 Michael 0 Comments
Come learn to play or just enjoy the dulcimer music!
Come and learn how to play, or improve your current technique on the Mountain or Hammered Dulcimer. This is an entertaining, educational festival (held at St. James Presbyterian Church 3601 West Bellvue Avenue, Littleton, Colorado 80123) with 2 days of workshops on February 3 and 4th, 2017. Classes are available for absolute beginners to advanced players. Rental Instruments are available. You will encounter many styles of music, from Celtic to Old-time to Bluegrass and sometimes even Jazz or ragtime! There are multiple jam sessions on both days and concerts both evenings. We have out of state guest teachers, nationally known players (and 3 national champions! )who teach both instruments, and also wonderful local teachers. Our nationally known guest teachers this year are Susan Trump from New York(mountain dulcimer) , and Jodi Marshall from Washington DC (Hammered Dulcimer).
We also welcome back out of state teachers Erin Mae (mountain Dulcimer) and our festival’s founder and great teacher in both hammered and mountain dulcimer, Steve Eulberg. Our great local instructors will be Bonnie Carol, Tina Gugeler, Karen Alley, Dianne Jeffries, Paul Weidig, Malacha Hall, and Judy Jones. A returning popular feature that premiered last year will be a contra dance where participants can play in the band or dance (no previous experience required!). The Colorado Dulcimer Orchestra will also perform. Many of our instructors play in the 2 nightly concerts, so be sure to come hear these instruments played by some of the best performers in the country!
Concerts are open to the public, with tickets available at the door both nights (concerts will be from 7-9:30 pm).
If you are curious to hear or are interested in learning either of these wonderful instruments, attend the workshops and/or come to the concerts!
Information on costs, further details and registration at http://www.coloradodulcimerfestival.com
24 October 2016 Michael 0 Comments
