Almonte Celtfest

🎉 We’re excited to announce that Ottawa valley-bred singer/songwriter and guitar extraordinaire Joe Ray McDonald will be performing at Celtfest this summer 🎉

🎶 Joe Ray McDonald effortlessly weaves melody, emotion and precise flatpick-style guitar together like flowers on a finely tailored cowboy shirt. Joe performs numerous shows a year as a solo artist and as a band leader, and is known for his warm rapport with audiences, diverse musicianship and accomplished songwriting.

Be sure to come hear Joe Ray McDonald in Gemmill Park on July 4.

We'll see you there!

🙌 Thank you Minto Homes Ottawa for supporting the 30th anniversary edition of Celtfest coming up July 3-5, 2026.

👷 Minto’s new development, being built just down the road from Gemmill Park, is called Weavers Way in a nod to Almonte’s rich heritage as a historic mill town and textile center. So if you've been thinking of moving to the "friendly town," there are now more options.

🏡 Minto is a local, family-owned company with deep Ottawa roots that has been building better places to live, work, and play for 70 years.

🎉 We truly appreciate Minto’s history of building vibrant caring communities and supporting events like Celtfest!

Feels like a good time for a Celtfest preview. Have a listen to AILÍSE’s moving version of the traditional Irish song Siúil A Rúin and be sure to come hear her live at Celtfest this summer.
https://ailisemusic.bandcamp.com/track/si-il-a-r-in

Siúil A Rúin, by AILÍSE track by AILÍSE

🩵Vendor Spotlight - Graymalkin's Metalwork🩵

Get excited because .metalworks is joining us for Celtfest 30!

You can find more info here:
https://www.graymalkins.com/

💚 Join us for the Almonte Celtfest 2026 Celtic College, on Saturday morning of the Celtfest weekend - July 4th, 2026!

💚 This year, to celebrate 30 years of the festival, we will be running two blocks of classes – 9:00am-10:15am and 10:30am-11:45am. This means you can take two classes, in case you’d like to learn how to play the bodhran (frame drum) and still want to dance in the ceilidh dancing workshop!

💚 Each class costs $25, and to thank you for 30 years of supporting Celtfest, we’re happy to offer anybody who registers for two back-to-back classes for $40.

💚 Please remember to bring the following items for classes:
✅Everything you need to play an instrument for Guitar, Fiddle, Whistle, Bodhran
✅Regular shoes for Stepdance and Ceilidh Dancing (no taps)
✅Note that the Highland Bagpipe Demonstration does not require participants to bring pipes, however ear protection is recommended.

💚 For more information, or to register, please visit almonteceltfest.com/celtic-college!


Graham Lindsey - TradHead Leahy Erin Leahy Music Xavier Leahy

✨Hundreds of Volunteers have given their time and energy to making sure Celtfest happens every summer for the last 30 years! Thank you to the countless ticket-takers, clicker-counters, guest greeters, merchandise salespeople, children's helpers, security personnel, drink servers, stage builders, and Celtfest hypers! We appreciate each of you and are grateful for every second you have given to the festival.
If you see a volunteer, be sure to thank them! Happy 30!✨

🩵Vendor Spotlight - Uncorked and Bottled Up🩵

We are happy to have join us for Celtfest 30!

You can find their online store here:
https://uncorkedandbottledup.com/

💚More memories: Celtfest circa 2007🧡

🙌 We are grateful for the support of the Mississippi Mills for supporting Celtfest’s 30th anniversary edition this summer!

Government support and business sponsorships and donations from the community make it possible for Almonte Celtfest to bring a weekend of family-friendly entertainment to Gemmill Park each summer.

And we will be back in the park in a big way for the 30th anniversary edition July 3-5!

P.S. Entrance is by donation for all three days of Celtfest. 🎉

See you there!

💙Vendor Spotlight -Duffer's Chip Wagon💙
We are delighted to have Duffer's in the park again this year!
Find out more here : https://dufferschipwagon.com/