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National Celtic Festival 2018

Home > Melbourne > Escape the City | Festivals | Long Weekend | Music
by KJ (subscribe)
Event: -
Come and enjoy live music, dancing, workshops and more

The popular National Celtic Festival will return again this year from Friday the 8th - Monday the 11th of June 2018.

Held in the seaside town of Portarlington, just 90 minutes from Melbourne, the festival takes place over the June long weekend and will include a variety of live music, dancing, performances, displays, workshops, and markets across a number of venues within the town.

Here is a look at what's on offer this year:

Free (and almost-free) areas
If you're on a budget but still want to enjoy the festivities, there are a couple of areas open to those without a ticket:
The Village Stage will offer "a taste of the festival" and entry is available with a gold coin donation
The undercover Celtic market will be open to the public and will include stalls selling local produce plus food trucks
There will be free roving entertainment and outdoor displays

National Celtic Festival, 2018, Portarlington, Victoria, Bellarine Peninsula, Irish, Festival, Events, Things to do, June 2018, Celtic, Markets, Claymore, Musicians, Entertainers, Performers, Irish Music,
Image Source: National Celtic Festival


Live Music
There is an amazing line-up this year, with a range of music to suit everyone. International performers include:
Brid Harper and Dermot Byrne (Ireland)
Paul McKenna Band (Scotland)
Maggie Carty and Máirtín Staunton (Ireland)
Altan (Ireland)
National Celtic Festival, 2018, Portarlington, Victoria, Bellarine Peninsula, Irish, Festival, Events, Things to do, June 2018, Celtic, Markets, Claymore, Musicians, Entertainers, Performers, Irish Music, Maggie Carty,
Image source: National Celtic Festival

There will also be a number of Australian performers, including:
Damien Leith
Catherine Fraser Trio
Siobhan Owen
Melbourne Scottish Fiddle Club
Hat Fitz and Cara
Adelaide Scottish Fiddle Club
Stu Tyrrell
The Drowsy Maggies
Maria Forde
Gerry McKeague

A full list of the performers is available here.

National Celtic Festival, 2018, Portarlington, Victoria, Bellarine Peninsula, Irish, Festival, Events, Things to do, June 2018, Celtic, Markets, Claymore, Musicians, Entertainers, Performers, Irish Music,
Image Source: National Celtic Festival


Kids Fest
The Kids Fest area will have a wonderful range of entertainment and activities on offer, including:
Portarlington Celtic Festival Fairyland
Vikings demonstration and display
Celtic Martial Arts
National Celtic Festival, 2018, Portarlington, Victoria, Bellarine Peninsula, Irish, Festival, Events, Things to do, June 2018, Celtic, Piping, Bagpipes, Vikings,
Image Source: National Celtic Festival



Pipes and Drums
A Celtic Festival wouldn't be complete without pipes and drums, and there will be a number of demonstrations and performances over the long weekend. These include:
'Come and Try' workshops, where participants can learn about Celtic pipes and drums
National Celtic Festival Piping Competition
Drumworx drumming performance
Piobaireachd Concert

National Celtic Festival, 2018, Portarlington, Victoria, Bellarine Peninsula, Irish, Festival, Events, Things to do, June 2018, Celtic, Markets, Claymore, Musicians, Entertainers, Performers, Irish Music, drumming,
Image Source: National Celtic Festival


Markets
Adjacent to the ticketed area of the festival, there will be an undercover Celtic market with over 80 stalls which will be accessible to those without a ticket. The markets will offer a range of local produce, including local wines and craft brews, and there will also be food trucks.

National Celtic Festival, 2018, Portarlington, Victoria, Bellarine Peninsula, Irish, Festival, Events, Things to do, June 2018, Celtic, Markets,
Image Source: National Celtic Festival


Overall, it promises to be a great festival, so why not escape the city and head over to the Bellarine Peninsula to enjoy a long weekend of fun and entertainment.



Ticket Prices:
Children up to the age of 14 are free, and adult tickets start from $90 for a one-day ticket.

There are also a number of different ticket packages available (including ticket and ferry packages, ticket and camping packages etc).

Visit the ticket information page for full details.

Getting there:
The festival is held in Portarlington on the Bellarine Peninsula, just 30 minutes' drive from Geelong or around 90 minutes drive from Melbourne.

Options for getting there include:
Car
Public Transport - Take the V/Line train service to Geelong, then McHarrys bus service to Portarlington

For more information:
For updates and more information, check out the official website or social media pages:
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Why? To enjoy some live music and learn about Celtic culture
When: Friday the 8th of June - Monday the 11th of June 2018
Where: Portarlington, Victoria
Cost: Ticket prices vary - see ticket page for full details.
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