This past weekend I went to one of my favorite places…the Bethlehem Celtic Classic! The Celtic Classic is the largest free Celtic fest in North America and it is honestly just so much fun. I love fests of any sort (unfortunately I missed the Italian American Fest that is a normal stop for me this time o’ year, but grad school interrupts. Damn papers.), but Celtic fests have to be my favorite. In my opinion, there is nothing better than good beer, good music, men in kilts, and all things Celtic, really. I should just take a hop, skip, and a jump over the pond already and set up shop in Ireland (or Wales. Or Scotland.)
If I can’t make it to Ireland, Bethlehem could get the job done in the meantime. Bethlehem, PA is a historic town that’s main income used to be steel. It was settled by the Moravian’s and now hosts Moravian College and Lehigh University. The town itself is adorable. I really don’t know much about it other than I love it. The Hotel Bethlehem is where my dream wedding would take place. Everything is Celtic, slightly pagan, and has this old world charm that is missing in so many modern towns. I love any place with brick sidewalks, old ruins, and that earthy feel that is so hard to find in my congested hometown. I feel like when you are in Celtic regions, you can feel a connection to the earth. Maybe I am imagining it or maybe I’m descended from faeries. I guess we’ll never know, but I’m going with faeries.
So, let’s just go through all the great things that were at the fest this weekend. First, the food. I know Ireland and Scotland aren’t exactly known for their food (haggis anyone?), but Shepard’s pie is honestly one of my favorite foods. I know there is a “big” hooplah over whether or not beef or lamb goes in Shepard’s pie, but I like beef. Tar and feather me if you must. Lamb’s are just so cute and I have a hard time eating adorable things. Also, I just haven’t really had the opportunity to try it. Maybe if someone wants to make it for me, I’ll try, but I don’t want to spend money in case I don’t like it.
Second, and this one is verra obvious, the alcohol. I’m not a whisky drinker (maybe I’ll get there one day), but I do love me some beer. I especially love me some Smithwicks. I love it even more when there is just a trailer filled with it. I will never understand the people who get Miller Lite (my go to cheap beer, not knocking it), when Smithwicks is available for the same price. Guinness was obviously on tap, as well, but one more dollar. As I like to say, Guinness is like eating bread and Smithwicks is like the best milk you’ve ever had. Maybe not exactly, but it works for me. Slainte!
Third thing, the music. I love Celtic rock. Again, it goes back to the feeling of being connected to the earth and I really don’t think you can beat that. I love bagpipes and there were plenty of pipe and drum bands marching around playing. The highlight of the music though was Jamison. Jamison played traditional Celtic rock songs and put a Celtic spin on some rock and pop classics. The energy of those guys though was what I’m really writing home about. They can perform, they can get the crowd going, and they do not stop. I watched them twice yesterday and I’m probably going to start following them around the coast. If you want good music and an entertaining show, you definitely want Jamison. Alabama said it best, you gotta have a fiddle in the band, and they do.
So let’s talk shopping. I love to shop and this place has some of the best vendors of any fest I’ve been to. I hate all the cheap IRELAND t-shirts that most people have and try to claim that they are actually Irish. It looks like a Claire’s during March. I don’t want fake St. Paddy’s Day stuff. I want to buy actual things from Ireland. So after walking through the entire fest and debating whether my purchase would be jewelry, pottery, or clothing, I settled on a gorgeous emerald green wool shawl from Ireland. I have a rule that if a stranger tells me I should buy something/look good in something during my deliberation stage, then I need to buy it. Well, I put the shawl on to learn how to wear it and a lady told me it looked beautiful on me. So I bought it. It’s the cross that I bear.
So the final favorite part of the fest, which I know you’ve all been waiting for, is the Highland Games. Every time I see these 6’5 wonders of men, I just fall in love with this sport even more. I got a spot right in front for the caber toss, which is my favorite event, and cheered on the athletes. Now, I learned from talking to one of the athletes, that the Bethlehem games is the hardest throwing competition to get into, so these guys are the best of the best from this side of the pond. There were multiple perfect throws, which is impressive every time it happens. These guys can also put on a show. Maybe Scotsmen are just born showman, but I’ve never been to a Games where the athletes weren’t also hysterical to watch. My favorite part of the Bethlehem games is the meet and greet following. I just like to stand among Highland athletes because I feel so short. At 5’9, I am not a short woman and I rarely get to look up at men, but standing among those giants was a wonderful feeling that I do not often get. I bent one of the younger and very attractive athlete’s ear for a while (he was very nice and told me all about the Games), but eventually I needed to move over and let the kids get pictures with him. It was lovely while it lasted.
All in all, it was a lovely day. I went home after and rode the Celtic wave a little more and watched the mid-season finale of Outlander. Days do not get better than that. Unfortunately, the Celtic fest season is over for now, but until next summer, I will just live knowing that I will actually be studying in Scotland next summer, which is pretty much better than anything I’ve done before. So, here’s to my health and yours. Slainte!
That Flighty Temptress 