Celtic Fest

BLOWHARDS Bagpipers parade through Grant Park this weekend.

When your cruise down Lake Shore Drive is unsettled by the sight of a half-dozen sheep grazing in Butler Field this weekend, don’t worry—Lincoln Park’s Children Zoo hasn’t unleashed its livestock. Those are dogs demonstrating their herding skills to commemorate Chicago’s connection to Celtic lands, where sheep graze on the same misty heaths that bequeathed the city an ample supply of South Siders.

In modern times, a Celt is generally considered to be someone with ethnic ties to Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, the Isle of Man or Cornwall. All of those are represented at this weekend’s tenth annual Celtic Fest, which features plenty of traditional fare, Scottish “heavy” games, a bagpipe parade, ceilidh dancing and plaid crafts for sale. In the daytime, a throng of suburbanites, speckled with first- and second-generation folks, gather for family entertainment. Come evening, the crowd changes: The twentysomething Irish-pub set leaves its North Side bar stools to enjoy alt-Celt music at the Petrillo Bandshell. This year’s fest celebrates its ten-year anniversary by bringing back acts from lineups past. Crowd-pleasers include La Bottine Souriante (Sat 16), a French-Canadian-Celtic foot-tapping brigade; Natalie MacMaster (Sun 17), a fiddler from Cape Breton, Canada; and Brian McNeill (Fri 15 at Chicago Cultural Center), a traditional Scottish folk crooner.

To immerse ourselves in Celt-culture, we’ll park our lawn chair near the music stage or heavy contests, where local burly athletes toss telephone pole–sized cabers or hammers for distance. On the less traditional front, fair organizers added a tartan alternative to a wet T-shirt contest dubbed Celtic Men in Kilts competition. Any kilt-clad lad (hopefully undaunted by the lake’s chill) can enter and show off his legs for prizes. Grab a Guinness and watch or boldly join the revelry, unless you’re Mel Gibson, then put down the Guinness.­—Madeline Nusser

Celtic Fest takes place in Grant Park on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17. For details, visit www.celticfestchicago.com or see listings.