- December 26, 2024
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Scottish Heavy Athletic Competition athlete, Ching, throws for distance at the Celtic Festival. Photo by Michele Meyers
Anne Clark and her son Scott Clark talk to people about Clan Donald. Photo by Michele Meyers
Ceilidh (Gaelic word for party) rides in her remote controlled wagon and gives free pets at the Celtic Festival. Photo by Michele Meyers
Jerry Henkins had his DNA tested two years ago and found out the stories about his heritage are true. He is 50% Scots-Irish and 50% German. Photo by Michele Meyers
Rhonda Taylor and her service dog in-training Bowie. Photo by Michele Meyers
Scottish Heavy Athletic Competition athlete and Volusia County Council at-large candidate Doug Pettit. Photo by Michele Meyers
Athletes compete in all events during the Scottish Heavy Athletic Competition at the Ormond Beach Celtic Festival. Photo by Michele Meyers
VGO plays traditional Irish music at the River stage during the Celtic Festival. Photo by Michele Meyers
Athletes compete in all events during the Scottish Heavy Athletic Competition at the Ormond Beach Celtic Festival. Photo by Michele Meyers
Athletes compete in all events during the Scottish Heavy Athletic Competition at the Ormond Beach Celtic Festival, including tossing the caber. Photo by Michele Meyers
Athletes compete in all events during the Scottish Heavy Athletic Competition at the Ormond Beach Celtic Festival, including tossing the caber. Photo by Michele Meyers
Athletes compete in all events during the Scottish Heavy Athletic Competition at the Ormond Beach Celtic Festival, including tossing the caber. Photo by Michele Meyers
Athletes watch their competitors during the Scottish Heavy Athletic Competition at the Ormond Beach Celtic Festival. Photo by Michele Meyers
Wee Lady and Chieftain contest organizer Patti Patten, 2022 Wee Lady winner Trinity Scott, 2016 winner Alyssa Leigh Pointer and Celtic-Norse Athlete of the Year, 15-year-old Collin Schwartz. Photo by Michele Meyers
Collin Schwartz is congratulated by fellow athlete Ching after winning the Celtic-Norse Athlete of the Year award and receiving a $250 scholarship check. Photo by Michele Meyers
Wee Lady and Chieftain contest organizer Patti Patten, 2022 Wee Lady winner Trinity Scott and 2016 winner Alyssa Leigh Pointer. Photo by Michele Meyers
Wee Lady and Chieftain contest organizer Patti Patten, 2022 Wee Lady winner Trinity Scott and 2016 winner Alyssa Leigh Pointer. Photo by Michele Meyers
This year, Daytona Beach Pipes and Drums led the clan procession at the Ormond Beach Celtic Festival. Photo by Michele Meyers
Parade of the Clans — Clan Bruce. Photo by Michele Meyers
Parade of the Clans — Clan Colquhoun. Photo by Michele Meyers
Parade of the Clans — Clan Hannay. Photo by Michele Meyers
Gary Graham operates Ceilidh's remote control vehicle in the clan parade. Photo by Michele Meyers
Parade of the Clans — Celtic-Norse Heritage Society. Photo by Michele Meyers
Parade of the Clans — New World Celts Volusia Chapter. Photo by Michele Meyers
Daytona Beach Pipes and Drums led the clan parade at the Ormond Beach Celtic Festival. Photo by Michele Meyers
Daytona Beach Pipes and Drums led the clan parade at the Ormond Beach Celtic Festival. Photo by Michele Meyers
Collin Schwartz successfully throws in the weight-for-height event at the Celtic Festival. Photo by Michele Meyers
Steven Laser throws in the sheaf toss event at the Celtic Festival. Photo by Michele Meyers
Joe Hannoush stands with John Gail at the Ormond Beach Celtic Festival as he promoted the Libertarian party. Photo by Michele Meyers
Douglas Hayes demonstrates blacksmithing techniques at the Ormond Beach Celtic Festival. Photo by Michele Meyers
Jean Dwyer volunteered to run the children's dragon-making table at the Ormond Beach Celtic Festival. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seven-year-old Jordan Simpkins gets creative with a pool noodle in the Celtic Festival children's area. Photo by Michele Meyers
Brian Smalley is a Florida based guitarist who loves fiddle tunes and Celtic music. Photo by Michele Meyers
Billy Bishop talks to one of his dogs before they begin the sheepherding demonstration. Photo by Michele Meyers
Peg rounds up the sheep during the herding demonstration at the Celtic Festival. Photo by Michele Meyers
Ace and Peg herd the sheep by listening to Billy Bishop's whistle commands. Photo by Michele Meyers
Kids jump in the bounce house overlooking the Halifax River at the Ormond Beach Celtic Festival. Photo by Michele Meyers
Fletcher's Pub Clan — Bill Fletcher, Billy Fletcher, Fred Weston, Connor Fletcher and Jeanine. Photo by Michele Meyers
Bob Monroe has emceed at the Ormond Beach Celtic Festival for ten years. Photo by Michele Meyers
The 11th-annual Ormond Beach Celtic Festival was back on track the weekend of April 23-24. After a rainy fall festival last September, sunny weather was a welcome sight at this year’s festivities.
Fortunato Park was once again the site of the Highland Games, which had been canceled at the previous festival due to inclement weather.
The games were sanctioned by the Scottish Games League, which required the athletes to compete in every event — Braemar/open stone, weight for distance, weight for height, Scottish hammer, sheaf toss and the caber competition.
Bagpipes, fiddles and bodhrans were heard throughout The Casements, Rockefeller Gardens and Fortunato Park from five different stages. The River Stage was closest to the games and emcee Bob Monroe’s favorite.
“I have been an emcee here for ten years,” he said. “I like this area because the beer tent is right there, the men’s room is there, and I get the good music here.”
The festival gave local clans the opportunity to teach the public about the Celtic heritage and traditions. Sheepherding and blacksmithing demonstrations were offered throughout the weekend.
Billy Bishop brought his dogs, Ace and Peg, along with six sheep to demonstrate the team’s prowess at whistle commands. He is a farrier but has been sheepherding for eight years as a hobby. Each dog has a separate set of whistles that Bishop uses to communicate with them out in the field.
“Peg is a hammer,” he said. “She makes things happen. Ace’s talent is he can move the sheep quietly. I can use the strengths of the two of them together.”
Blacksmiths Doug Hayes and Jesse Allan answered questions as they demonstrated the craft. They represented the Florida Artist Blacksmith Association, a nonprofit organization promoting the education and preservation of the trade. Hayes has his own forge and owns Iron Osprey Designs.
“I was the Navy wife for 25 years, so I followed my wife around,” Hayes said. “I got to do this when she retired.”
This year, Bill Fletcher, owner of Fletcher’s Irish Pub, setup a pop-up pub, which he said did steady business throughout the event.
“From a community standpoint, everybody is owning it,” he said. “It’s great to see the amount of people we have. Ormond MainStreet does a great job. Being Irish-Scot-American, this is a great event for everybody — for families, for dogs, for all the above. I look forward to it every year and we’ll get ready for it again next year.”
