6-09-2024 3:01am

Michigan Celtic Festival will offer Wee Folks fun for miniature Celts

The Michigan Celtic Festival (formerly the Saline Celtic Festival)—set Saturday, July 13, at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds—will offer fun activities for Wee Folks, made possible with the generous support of Ann Arbor Jaycees.

Kids (accompanied by parents/caregivers) will enjoy crafts and games in Building E, noon to 5 PM: paint a shield, create a treasure map, do printmaking, dance with the Festival fairies, make a beaded bracelet or Celtic crown, and create Fascinating Fascinators.

“Our location is great, the same building as last year but at the opposite end, and we’ll be right by the Celtic breeds—kids can work on a craft and hang out with a Highland cow or a beautiful horse all within the same area,” says organizer Katherine Downie.

“We had so many kids last year, and it was so fun to visit with everyone as they came through to do crafts and play games with us, including a new one, the Sheep Sheet Sheaf Toss—you've got to be there to see how much fun it is!”

Ducky races will run every hour from 1 p.m., and the afternoon ends with a 4:30 Wee Folks Parade led by a bagpiper.

“Ducky races will be taking on a new form this year, more interactive for kids,” Downie says.

Tim Hoerauf and his team from Fellowship Baptist Church in Saline will provide outdoor games such as Topple the Dragon, Ring Hook, and Aberdeen Castle, unicorn ring toss, and archery, with small prizes for all the games.

The Wee Folks team needs volunteers—who will receive a free pass to the Festival. Sign up on the website.

Away from the Wee Folks area, kids will thrill to the Corgi races, pipe & drum bands, Highland Athletics, Celtic bands, Highland dancers, Ring of Steel Cirque Surya performances and Fire Show, historical re-enactments and sword play, and much more.

While kids ages 5 and under are free, adults are $15 advance (advance sales end June 30), $18 at gate; ages 65+ $8 advance, $10 at gate; ages 6-17 $5; active military free; group packages available. Ample onsite free parking.

The gates open at 10, with a parade at noon, and the Celtic fun runs through midnight ending with a spectacular Fire Show from Ring of Steel.

Visit https://www.mi-celtic.org and Facebook.