Chicago Celtic Fest

[Brewboy]

As some of you have already heard, Chicago Celtic Fest was rather damp this year. We had pretty much nonstop rain for the two days of the festival. Apparently we broke some records relating to rainfall in the city. Hooray. This didn't make the true believers miss the festival, even when the festival ended up missing us. Galician even made it down from New York to get rained on. Here are some pictures:

The first thing we ran into when entering the fest were the Highland Games:


Here are some of the kilted competitors awaiting their turns:


They also had an exhibition of herding, although ducks were used instead of sheep:


auld argonian got us into the fly Nova Scotia tent where it was dry, there was free beer, free food such as lobster and crab cakes was being served, there was free beer, and music was being performed-did I mention there was free beer? Here's auld argonian and Galician:


There were some pipers from the Stockyard Kilty Band that showed up and did what pipers do best:


Later on Great Big Sea played at the band shell, and I'm a huge fan so Galician and I went over to see them. Right before they went on another band, the Elders, decided to thank the crowd for hanging out in the rain by giving their CD's away. Galician and I both picked one up. Here are Galician and I enjoying the show, but wishing we were drier:


After the festivities on Saturday, we went back to my place to meet up with some Indian friends of mine. For the switch from Celtic to Indian we all put on lungis, an Indian MUG. In the photo are Galician, my buddy Srikant, and myself:


The next day Galician and I planned to go to the festival, but when we got there, the festival had been canceled. Apparently we had broken the record for rainfall for the city, and the pooled water was causing the electricity to short out at the fest. So, it was on to the favorite haunt of the Chicago Rabble, the Duke of Perth:


A farewell pint for Galician:


It was a wet, but interesting Chicago Celtic Fest. We all hope Galician had a good time, and hope he gets his cell phone back! I know he has some pictures of his own, and once he's settled back in NY, hopefully he'll post them. Hopefully next year will be a bit drier.