Bagpipes echoed in the halls of the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA) and the sound of fiddle music floated through the air. Toe-tapping melodies and entertaining ballads created a transformational experience for audience members who took part in WICA’s inaugural Celtic Festival, November 10-12.
Even the rain didn’t dampen the mood, as the three-day festival drew hundreds of attendees to Langley, filling WICA’s mainstage theatre for each performance. Opening with a sold-out Friday show with the Tannahill Weavers, one of Scotland’s premier traditional bands, the weekend’s line-up featured a performance by Irish button accordion player John Whelan on Saturday as well as a matinee performance by Native Shetland fiddler Kevin Henderson and pianist Neil Pearlman on Sunday.
“We were honored to have such talented artists at our first ever Celtic Festival,” says WICA Executive Artistic Director Deana Duncan. “At WICA, part of our mission is to bring world-renowned artists to Whidbey Island and to share with our community diverse programming that enriches lives and connects us all. This inaugural event was a beautiful example of these efforts, and we can’t wait to see how this festival continues to grow.”
To learn more about this festival, as well as WICA’s other heritage festivals, visit www.wicaonline.org.