Saline Celtic Festival’s Wee Folks Island offers fun for young ‘Celts’

‘Wee Folks Island’ at the July 9 Saline Celtic Festival is a kids’ area like no other!

Kids (accompanied by parents) can participate in arts and crafts, games, story time with a Scottish Princess, ducky races, visits with a mermaid, and access to cooling off in the shallows of the Saline River.

“Wee Folks Island this year is going to keep some of the tried and true activities, but also add a few new things,” says organizer Katherine Downie. “We’ll still make crowns, create our own Blarney Stones, and paint shields as in past years. Sports activities will include bow & arrow, some carnival games, and—new this year—axe throwing, a kid-safe version, of course! We’re always adding new things, so for all of the new activities, you’ll have to come to the festival to see them!

“To celebrate our 25th year, the ducky races will have some very sparkly ducky prizes, and each race will feature a guest local celebrity— including Miss Washtenaw County—to launch the duckies.” 

Duckies are $1 a duck, or six ducks for $5.

Wee Folks Island opens at noon, and activities end with a 4:30 p.m. parade through the Festival Grounds accompanied by a bagpiper.

The Island also features Celtic Kids games: Defend the homeland against the invading army using a catapult, or attack the enemy castle using a tennis-ball wrist rocket; topple a dragon from his perch with a disc projectile; challenge a friend or race the clock in a game of Aberdeen Castle; quoits, ring hook, prizes, and more.

All games and Wee Folks activities are free with admission.

And of course, there is plenty of Celtic fun for older kids and adults, including music from The Moxie Strings, Crossbow, Brother Crowe, Nessa, and Saline Fiddlers; Highland dance competition, pipe & drums bands, living history, music and dance performances, ancient athletics, free music/dance workshops, jousting, sheep herding, clans, textile demonstrations, living history performances, Ring of Steel Fire Show, beer tent, food vendors, merchants area—and ‘Millie the Mill Pond Monster’ and her family.

Festival Facts

Saturday, July 9,  Mill Pond Park, Saline

Gates open at 10 a.m.; opening ceremony 11 a.m.; Festival runs through midnight.

Adults $15/advance; $18 at the gate; ages 65+ $8/advance; $10/at the gate; ages 6-17 $5; age 5 and under free; active military free.

Group package (10 adult admissions) $125/advance; Family pack (2 adults & 2 youth) $40/advance; Two adults & two beers $30/advance ($20 savings); Four adults & four beers $70/advance ($30 savings)

Free parking and shuttles: Saline Middle School, 7190 N. Maple Rd., and Liberty School, 7265 N. Ann Arbor St.

The Festival will also host a “Dance Party in the Park,” 6 p.m. to midnight, Friday, July 8, at Mill Pond Park, with music from Ironwood, The Codgers, and The Phoenix Theory.  $8 at the gate; ages 6-17 $5; age 5 and under free; active military free.

For more information and advance tickets, visit https://www.salineceltic.org.

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