Fun for the whole clan: Ormond Beach Celtic Festival returns for 13th year

Ormond Beach MainStreet organizers offer more Highland Games, more kids' activities and more fun at the 13th annual beloved festival.

  • By Michele Meyers
  • | 1:00 p.m. April 25, 2024
  • Ormond Beach Observer
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Ormond Beach MainStreet gifted two days of Highland Games with spectator seating, more activities for the kids, a plethora of Celtic musicians and vendors and a commemorative for purchase at the 13th annual Ormond Beach Celtic Festival held the weekend of April 20-21 at The Casements north lawn in Rockefeller Gardens and Fortunato Park. 

Eighteen clans and societies graced the grounds north of The Casements including the honored clan — Clan MacLaren. Clan member Corey Patterson said at the end of the festival the previous year, they were asked to be the honored clan.

“As the honored clan, we get a choice of spots,” he said. “Other than that, it is mainly, be here — be friendly. We welcome everybody. If you want to come hang out — come hang out. If you want to join — join.”

The Parade of the Tartans was led by Daytona Beach Pipe and Drums on Saturday and by the City of Mount Dora Pipe Band on Sunday. New World Celts and Nauti Pets hosted the annual dog parade held on The Casements stage. Donations were given to local shelters.

This was the first festival of its kind where the athletes competed on both Saturday and Sunday. Men and women had the opportunity to compete in open divisions, elite men and the men’s 40+ on Saturday. Senior men and women and lightweight men competed on Sunday. 

The crowd for both days was phenomenal as they cheered on the athletes. We were so excited how well the whole event was run and we can’t wait for next year." — DAWN SCHULL, President of the Foundation for Scottish Athletics

Approximately 80 athletes took to the fields throughout the weekend battling in nine events each day—Braemar stone, open stone, heavy and light weight for distance, heavy and light hammer throw, weight over bar, sheaf and caber toss.

Dawn Schull, President of the Foundation for Scottish Athletics, said Becky Parker, Ormond Beach MainStreet Executive Director, has been asking for the additional day.

“The crowd for both days was phenomenal as they cheered on the athletes,” Schull said. “We were so excited how well the whole event was run and we can’t wait for next year.”

Festival-goers meandered through four designated villages — Clan Village, Celtic Village, Highland Village and Lowland Village. They hosted five stages offering a variety of musical and dance entertainment. The Marty Groody Memorial Jam Tent was home to multiple workshops including a mandolin workshop with Ennis Pruitt, a Celtic fiddle workshop with Martha Delaney-Hotz and a Bodhran workshop with Chuck Spano, to name a few.

The Highland Village was home to most of the athletic events and kids’ activities. They included a bounce castle and obstacle course, the Pop-up Ponies and Petting Pals Zoo, a craft area, Florida Face Painting, glitter tattooing, balloon artistry by Diamond Jim and a Pirate’s Cove putting green.

Revelers of all ages joined the Friends of the Tomoka Basin State Park to create fish paintings and learn about the nonprofit’s mission to support the Tomoka Basin State Parks — Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park, Bulow Creek State Park, Dummett Mill Ruins, Addison Blockhouse Historic State Park and Haw Creek Preserve State Park and Tomoka State Park.

Setup across the way was the blacksmithing demonstration. Florida Artist Blacksmith Association volunteers, Mike Johnson and Joe Naylor, demonstrated how to forge and hammer a split cross. Johnson said it was important to keep the traditions alive and the Celtic Festival was the perfect platform.

“The purpose of FABA and what I enjoy about it, is we try to focus on teaching and keeping some of the traditions alive,” he said. “Blacksmithing is a dying art — everything is machine and mass-produced. If old-world blacksmiths had access to some of the tools we have now like a belt grinder or a power hammer, they would be all over using it to be more efficient.

“But we want to keep the spirit alive in some of the traditions. So we do the hand forge. People really love it.”







 

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