Uncategorized | April 17, 2009
This news comes from Christie DePoorter from the Historic Cheyenne Depot:
The sound of bagpipes will echo once again in the historic Cheyenne Depot Plaza in June as the city hosts its fourth annual Celtic Musical Arts Festival.
The event June 26-28 will be marked with performances by top Celtic bands from around the region, including nationally recognized band Molly’s Revenge. The festival will also feature an authentic “calling of the clans,” traditional Irish and Scottish dancing, pipe bands, displays from clans from across the Front Range and a “grand procession” onto the plaza.
There is no admission charge for the event.
“It’s our fourth year, and it just keeps getting more and more fun,” said Mary Angell, one of the event’s organizers. “We’re thrilled that even in these economic times, thanks to our sponsors, we can keep the entertainment and cultural events available for everyone at no charge. It’s a great opportunity for families to experience something different.”
Sponsors for the event include the City of Cheyenne, Cheyenne Downtown Development Authority, Wyoming Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, the Cheyenne Depot Museum, the Plains Hotel, Shamrock Audio, the Cheyenne Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle.
The festivities will begin Friday night, June 26, at 5:30 with the Fridays on the Plaza concert sponsored by the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle featuring the Cheyenne band Musical Chairs. Musical Chairs will be followed at 8:30 by Molly’s Revenge, one of the nation’s top Celtic bands known for its traditional approach to original music.
At dark on Friday, the heads of the assembled clans will gather in an authentic “calling of the clans” on the plaza. After the calling, Molly’s Revenge will resume its show.
On Saturday, June 27, pipe bands from the region will form a mass band and march from Capitol and 17th Street down Capitol Ave. onto the plaza in a grand procession that will be followed by outside performances. Meanwhile, the clans will open their booths on 1″clan row” inside the Cheyenne Depot Museum. All visitors are encouraged to talk with clan members, who are well-versed on Scottish history and customs and can help visitors learn about their own Scottish lineage.
Music on the main stage of the plaza will continue while Irish and Scottish dancers from around the region demonstrate their skills on a second stage. Smaller musical acts from around the region will provide the music inside the depot.
A Scotch tasting will be held Saturday evening at the historic Plains Hotel, across the street from the depot plaza. The tasting will feature a variety of unique brews, along with a program by Dave and Marty Coffey, appetizers and a souvenir glass — all for only $45.
[CORRECTION: Tickets to the scotch-tasting event are $55 and not $45.]
“This is the only fee for the festival, but the price is very reasonable, given the high caliber of Scotch the Coffeys provide for the tasting and the quality of the food the Plains prepares,” said Angell. “It’s always a top-notch tasting.”
Call Connie Lester at the Plains Hotel (307) 638-3311 for more information or to make a reservation.
Larger Celtic bands will take the stage again on Saturday afternoon, culminating in a performance by Angus Mohr, a Colorado-based band known for its edgy mix of driving rock and roll and Celtic instrumentation.
Sunday will begin with a traditional “kirking of the tartans,” a culturally rich, non-denominational church service.
After the kirking, the activity will move inside, where visitors can enjoy the musical entertainment and meet with clan members until 2 p.m.
FMI: Mary Angell at 307-635-3498 or Pam Crochet at 632-3905.
The Wyoming Arts Council believes that experiencing the arts should be accessible for all, including people with mental and/or physical disabilities, older adults, military/veterans, people living in institutions and those who lack access to the arts due to geographic isolation, cultural difference and economic hardship.
