www.nelacelticfest.net
Organizers of the Northeast Louisiana Celtic Festival have announced the festival’s largest line-up of musical entertainment for the 2007 event. CelticFest is scheduled for Saturday, October 6th and Sunday, October 7th at the Louisiana Purchase Zoo in Monroe. Eighteen different acts will appear over the two days of fun, ending with all musical guests joining in a traditional “ceili” or Irish dance party. Nearly 7,000 visitors are expected to attend the successful combination of food, music, shopping, sports, and fun that celebrate Celtic heritage and traditions.

Doyle Jeter, founder of the Northeast Louisiana Celtic Festival, has signed some of the most popular Celtic music specialists for the festival. County Cork natives Mairtin de Cogain and Jimmy Crowley will headline a slate that includes Needfire, Danny O’Flaherty, Smithfield Fair, Legacy with Tim Britton and Justin Murphy, Bounds Street, Beyond the Pale, Four Shillings Short, Celjun, Beth Patterson and Kalafka, Jed Marum and Hugh Morrison, James Flanagan, Bill Conly and Tim Glennon, Michael Harrison and Linda King. The Red River Pipes and Drums will march to their traditional beat, while the Jackson Irish Dancers and the ULM Irish Dancers will be featured on this dance stage next to the main stage. Sunday will also feature a special tribute to John Lennon by the Kenny Bill Stinson band, and will end with Legacy and the rest of the musical acts joining in for a traditional ceili. The festival will take place at the covered picnic area at the Zoo rain or shine.

For two days vendors will showcase a range of wares from antiques and jewelry, to traditional clothing. Artists will display renderings that record folklore traditions and the “old country” rural life. Children will have their own chance to participate, and will be treated to story telling, face painting, and music. Those who attend can learn Gaelic language, or step up to try the age-old strong man sports called the Highland Games. This year’s games will be sanctioned by the Southern Scottish Amateur Athletic Association and will be held in Bernstein Park, across from the Zoo.

This is the third year the Northeast Louisiana Celtic Festival has been held at Louisiana Purchase Zoo, and the second year it has covered two days with events. Admission of $10 for adults and $5 for children will include entry into the Zoo. For the latest entertainment schedule, visit www.nelacelticfest.net