My hometown of Chicago celebrated St. Patrick's Day in a big way. The Chicago River was dyed green and there were two great parades — Downtown and South Side.
The 22nd annual Reno Celtic Celebration was held Oct. 6-7 at South Reno's Bartley Ranch Regional Park. At first, it didn't occur to me why this fest would take place in the fall. But according to the event program, the Celtic Celebration was launched by the now defunct Fitzgerald's Casino and Hotel to coincide with Samhain, the beginning of winter on the Celtic calendar. Samhain was the equivalent of the Celtic New Year and the predecessor of what we now know as Halloween.
I also learned that the Reno Celtic Celebration formerly operated at the Reno Livestock Events Center and then became part of Reno's July tradition of Artown. The Celtic Celebration moved to Bartley Ranch in 2007. It's a great location for this event, with lots of room for guests to roam and an excellent outdoor concert venue, the Robert Z. Hawkins Amphitheater.
On Saturday's visit to the Celtic Celebration, we arrived just in time to watch and listen to a pipe band and a rousing set by Tempest, a very energetic, Oakland, California-based Celtic rock band.
Several Celtic dance schools performed on a smaller stage.
Strolling around the grounds, it was fun to see many guests in historic costumes — some very impressive — as well as members of various clans wearing their families' tartans.
Vendors sold Irish and Scottish goods. It was unexpected to see a Teriyaki stand next to one selling fish and chips.
Celtic animals and British cars were on display, as well.
Admission to the Celtic Celebration was $10 per person for one day or $15 for a two-day pass. For me, a few hours was long enough to check out some entertainment there, but I can see how groups of friends and relatives with ties to the British Isles could turn this into a two-day reunion.
I also liked that Bartley Ranch is a clean, relaxing, attractive environment in which to hold an ethnic festival. The Eldorado's Great Italian Festival was also underway this past weekend, in downtown Reno. I went last year and was amused by a Frank Sinatra impersonator, but not enamored with the seedy surroundings.
The Reno Celtic Celebration program noted that this non-profit cultural organization's mission is to "share the Celtic Heritage with the community through entertainment and education" and also described the event as "a community and family event that is suitable and safe for all ages and sensibilities." I'll vote for that!
For more information, visit
http://www.renoceltic.org/ .
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