Corvallis Celtic Festival July 25-28, 2024
The Corvallis Celtic Festival is fast approaching! Festivities begin with a kickoff event on Thursday evening (July 25) at Common Fields with three local Celtic bands providing music; a percentage of food and beer sales will be donated to the festival. On Friday evening (July 26), the Boston-based duo Rakish will perform at the gorgeous new PRAx concert hall in a ticketed concert co-presented by the Corvallis Folklore Society and PRAx – a first! See the article about Rakish elsewhere in this newsletter and get your tickets now! We want to have a great turnout.
Events on Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28, will take place in and around Central Park, beginning with a pipers parade each morning. The festival’s main stage will be situated in the eastern lobe of Central Park to provide natural shade for festival-goers. In addition to performances by local and regional Celtic musicians and dancers, participants can browse Celtic-themed vendor booths, participate in children’s activities, and enjoy a variety of food and beverages including beer and hard cider provided by Common Fields. The Corvallis Arts Center will once again provide a dedicated space for hands-on workshops and performances on Celtic harp. Free instructional workshops on other Celtic instruments (fiddle, guitar, flute, pennywhistle, bodhran), singing, dance, Celtic crafts, and storytelling will be held in meeting rooms of the Corvallis Public Library and the nearby First Presbyterian Church. Both days will culminate in a community jam session, open to all. Visit the festival website at corvalliscelticfestival.org to see the complete lineup of performers and workshops and to view the schedule of events, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay informed about festival developments.
We have been hard at work organizing the festival and raising funds through donations, sponsorships, partnerships, grants, and benefit concerts. Now we need YOUR help! We need 80 volunteers to assist on Saturday and Sunday, welcoming festival-goers, inviting donations for buttons, guiding participants to workshops, setting-up and taking down the stage, helping with children’s activities, and more. If you can volunteer for a 2-hour shift sometime during the weekend, please go to our website corvalliscelticfestival.org and click on the Volunteer tab. You will be contacted by our volunteer coordinator BJ Tighe about specific needs, opportunities, and scheduling. This is the single biggest event of the year sponsored by the Corvallis Folklore Society and a tremendous community outreach opportunity for us. Be part of the fun!
Thank you!
Corvallis Celtic Festival Steering Committee
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Save the Dates for These Concerts!
We have three fantastic Celtic music concerts scheduled for this fall. Each one will benefit the Corvallis Celtic Festival. Please mark your calendars and watch for updates on the festival website under Upcoming Events.
San Miguel Fraser – Thursday, Sept. 12, 7 pm, venue TBA. San Miguel Fraser is a duo comprised of Galen Fraser, son of renowned Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser, and María San Miguel, a native of Castilla y León (Spain) with deep family roots in the traditions of her homeland. Together, they combine dynamic fiddling and string arrangements with the soaring, life-celebrating singing of María and the exciting, oh-so-sensitive cittern accompaniment of Galen. San Miguel Fraser astounded the audience at a sold-out concert at the Corvallis Arts Center last year. We are delighted to bring them back this time to a larger venue. María and Galen will also offer workshops on fiddle and cittern.
John Doyle and Mick McAuley – Thursday, Nov. 7, 7 pm, Unitarian Fellowship – Irish musicians extraordinaire, John Doyle (guitar) and Mick McAuley (accordion, melodeon, concertina, whistles, guitar), both previous members of the Irish-American supergroup Solas, and now soloists on the international stage, will perform a concert of instrumental music and songs in Corvallis before heading to the Yachats Celtic Festival. John Doyle is considered one of the best guitar players of traditional music in the world and is well-known for his guitar accompaniment of Liz Carroll, Karan Casey, and many others.
Kevin Burke – Sunday, Dec. 8, 3 pm, Corvallis Arts Center – Corvallis will have a rare opportunity to hear world-renowned Irish fiddle player Kevin Burke perform a solo, acoustic concert in the intimate setting of the Corvallis Arts Center. Kevin’s exquisite playing will be interspersed with stories told with his characteristic charm, wit, and warmth. Seating is limited to 75 persons, and this concert is likely to sell out quickly. Tickets will go on sale in early November.
