The Celtic Cultural Alliance has announced the full entertainment lineup for its 35th Anniversary Celtic Classic Highland Games and Festival, which will take place later this year. WDIY’s Sarit Laschinsky has the details.
The festival will run from Friday, September 23rd through Sunday, September 25th in downtown Bethlehem. CCA Executive Director Jayne Ann Recker said in a release that this year's anniversary festival will welcome back crowd favorites like Gerry Timlin, Steel City Rovers, and Low Lily — and will span multiple Celtic genres. Celtic Classic will feature five free stages and over 100 hours of free Celtic music.
Aside from music, the O'Grady Quinlan Academy of Irish Dance will hold several performances during the festival. The sheep and duck herding demonstrations of Gene Sheninger of Wayside Farm will also return. Additional cultural presentations will also be held in the Celtic Heritage Hollow such as musical workshops, a Scottish shortbread baking contest, lectures, and more.
The full entertainment line-up is below.
Friday, September 23rd
Highland Field
4:00 PM Sponsor Reception
5:15 PM Haggis Bowl 2021
5:30 PM Challenge Caber
6:30 PM Wayside Farm Border Collies
Grand Pavilion
4:30 PM Chivalrous Crickets
6:00 PM Blackwater
7:30 PM Kilmaine Saints
9:00 PM Glengarry Bhoys
Tavern in the Glen
4:30 PM Kilmaine Saints
6:00 PM Low Lily
7:15 PM O’Grady Quinlan Academy of Irish Dance
8:30 PM Steel City Rovers
Ice House
5:00 PM O’Grady Quinlan Academy of Irish Dance
6:15 PM Fig for a Kiss
7:30 PM Gerry Timlin
9:00 PM Blackwater
Celtic River Stage
5:15 PM TBD
6:45 PM TBD
8:15 PM TBD
Celtic Cross Intersection
6:45 PM Celtic United Pipe Band
Saturday, September 24th
Highland Field
10:00 AM 22lb Hammer
11:00 AM 24lb Braemar Stone
11:30 AM Showing of the Tartan Parade
12:00 PM Opening Ceremonies
12:45 PM 56lb Weight for Distance
1:30 PM Sheaf Toss
2:30 PM Drum Major Competition
3:30 PM Caber Toss
5:30 PM Massed Bands
5:45 PM Grade 4 Pipe Band Awards
6:00 PM Massed Bands
6:30 PM Border Collie Demo
Grand Pavilion
12:30 PM Dave North Trio
2:00 PM Low Lily
3:30 PM Emish
5:00 PM Mud Men
6:30 PM O’Grady Quinlan Academy of Irish Dance
7:30 PM Glengarry Bhoys
9:00 PM Kilmaine Saints
Tavern in the Glen
12:45 PM Chivalrous Crickets
2:15 PM The McKrells
3:45 PM O’Grady Quinlan Academy of Irish Dance
4:30 PM Steel City Rovers
6:00 PM Across the Pond
7:30 PM O’Grady Quinlan Academy of Irish Dance
8:30 PM Emish
Ice House
9:00 AM Youth Fiddle Competition
1:30 PM Across the Pond
3:00 PM Glengarry Bhoys
4:30 PM Blackwater
6:00 PM Gerry Timlin
7:15 PM O’Grady Quinlan Academy of Irish Dance
8:15 PM The McKrells
Piping Grove
1:30 PM Grade 4 Pipe Band Competition
Celtic River Stage
12:30 PM Fig for a Kiss
2:00 PM Gerry Timlin
3:30 PM Dave North Trio
5:00 PM Rogue Diplomats
6:30 PM Chivalrous Crickets
8:00 PM Low Lily
Celtic Heritage Hollow
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Children’s Activity Tent
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Robert Mouland – Irish Marionettes
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Clans & Societies
10:30 AM Celtic Song Writing Contest
11:00 PM Scottish Shortbread Contest
12:00 PM Music Workshop – Steel City Rovers
1:00 PM O’Grady Quinlan Academy of Irish Dance
2:00 PM History of Kilts – USA Kilts
3:00 PM How the Irish built canals in America, Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor
3:00 PM TBD
3:30 PM TBD
4:00 PM TBD
Sunday, September 25th
Highland Field
10:00 AM 16lb Hammer Throw
11:00 AM Open Stone
11:45 AM 28lb Weight for Distance
12:45 AM Athletes lunch
1:15 PM 56lb weight for height
2:45 PM Caber Challenge
3:15PM Kid’s Highland Games
4:00 PM Athletic Awards
4:15 PM Scholarships / Awards presentation
4:45 PM Massed Bands
5:00 PM Grade 3 Band Awards
5:30 PM Wayside Farm Border Collies
Grand Pavilion
11:00 AM Fig for a Kiss
12:30 PM Mud Men
2:00 PM Steel City Rovers
3:30 PM Glengarry Bhoys
5:00 PM O’Grady Quinlan Academy of Irish Dance
6:00 PM Jamison
Tavern in the Glen
11:00 AM O’Grady Quinlan Academy of Irish Dance
12:15 PM Blackwater
1:45 PM Jamison
3:15 PM O’Grady Quinlan Academy of Irish Dance
4:15 PM Rogue Diplomats
5:45 PM Mud Men
Ice House
10:00 AM Ecumenical Service
12:00 PM Glengarry Bhoys
1:30 PM Dave North Trio
3:00 PM Gerry Timlin
4:30 PM Blackwater
Piping Grove
12:00 PM Grade 3 Pipe Band Competition
Celtic River Stage
11:00 AM Across the Pond
12:30 PM Rogue Diplomats
2:00 PM Fig for a Kiss
3:30 PM The McKrells
5:00 PM Chivalrous Crickets
Celtic Heritage Hollow
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Children’s Activity Tent
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Robert Mouland – Irish Marionettes
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Clans & Societies
10:00 AM Youth Fiddle Workshop
11:00 AM Celtic Poetry Competition
12:00 PM Music Workshop – Steel City Rovers
12:30 PM O’Grady Quinlan Academy of Irish Dance
1:00 PM Children’s Celtic Storytelling
1:30 PM TBD
2:00 PM TBD
3:00 PM TBD
3:30 PM TBD
4:00 PM TBD
4:30 PM TBD
More information is available at the festival's website.
The first Celtic Classic was presented in 1988. The CCA says the event has grown into one of the largest highland games and festival in the county, welcoming over 250,000 people to historic Bethlehem.
(Original air-date: 6/20/22)
