Memories of Irish Fest 2005

My thoughts are drifting these days to merry memories of the Estes Park Scottish/Irish Highland Festival. Last year was my first time to go to this huge event. It is our country's largest festival of its kind and is held each year the weekend after Labor Day in Estes Park, Colorado. I am hoping that I will be able to join my Steamboat friends again in a couple weeks for the 29th annual festival.

Here are a few pics from last years event:

Saturday morning parade with pipers piping and drummers drumming, kilts and plumed bonnets, brave steeds bearing medieval jousters. Great time.



Hungry? A meat pie perhaps. These were delicious!



Andy enjoys his new sword.



Brad gets his picture with a Guinness gal at Friday night's Ceilidh (kay-lee, a Celtic New Year's party) while the Marine Band Twentynine Palms drum corp plays in the background.



"Tattoo" - The word means: evening drum, bugle, or piper signal recalling soldiers to quarters. The earliest form of the word is from the Dutch "tap toe" which literally means to "close the tap" of the cask in the barrooms.

The modern version of the tattoo is a parade ground concert of military bands. The tattoo at the Longs Peak Scottish/Irish Highland Festival includes all of the visiting guest bands: the Marine Band Twentynine Palms; 3rd Infantry Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps; Air Force Pipes & Drums of Canada; Celtic cannons; Carol Reed's School of Irish Dance; Head Talk - a drumline; and Dogs of the British Isles.

The Saturday night tattoo at the festival is known throughout the world for its beautiful mountain setting and powerful performances. The massed bands' rendition of "Amazing Grace" was truly a moving experience.