The sounds of bagpipes drifted through the pine trees, fire dancers captivated audiences and families explored Celtic history during the East Texas Celtic Fest, held June 12-14 in Hawkins.
Now in its 11th year, the festival celebrates the traditions and cultures of the Celtic nations, with a particular focus on Scottish, Irish and Welsh heritage. This year’s event marked a new chapter as organizers welcomed visitors to the festival’s new permanent home at 2487 FM 1795 in Hawkins.
Festival organizer George Jones said the move represents an opportunity for the event to continue growing in the years ahead.
“This is our 11th year,” Jones said. “We did 10 years prior to this over in Chapel Hill, but we were leasing the land there. We’ve actually found where we can buy and clear it all off and actually do it right. So this is our first year here, trying to get people used to the new location, and then we’re going to build it up every year.”
Unlike many Renaissance fairs, Jones said the East Texas Celtic Fest places a stronger emphasis on history and cultural education.
“The thing about a Celtic Fest is it’s not a Ren Fair,” he said. “It’s more of a history and cultural thing, although we encourage people to come in garb, come in any time period you want to come in, because that’s just more history.”
Throughout the weekend, visitors enjoyed a variety of live entertainment spread across multiple stages.
Bagpiper Nat Hart performed traditional Celtic music, while Maria Hansford dazzled crowds with fire dancing. Nordic Sands entertained audiences with belly-dancing performances, and musical acts including Randy Gilbert, Townes Peeples, Blue Clover and Rebecca Brown took the stage.
Other activities included storytelling, poetry readings, Celtic history presentations, wine tastings, axe throwing, archery, Highland Games competitions, handfasting ceremonies and petting goats. Saturday evening featured a VIP bonfire gathering with stories, food and singing, followed by a ghost hunt.
Jones said one of the unique aspects of the festival is that the entertainment schedule changes each day, giving visitors a reason to return throughout the weekend.
“The entertainment changes daily,” he said. “Some of it is the same, but we’ve got new stuff every day, so you can come every day and see something different.”
The event also serves as an educational experience, introducing attendees to Celtic history and traditions that span centuries. While the festival focuses primarily on Scottish, Irish and Welsh cultures, Jones noted that nine Celtic nations are represented symbolically throughout.
A longtime fan of Renaissance festivals and a former member of a medieval reenactment group, Jones said he was inspired to create an event that balanced entertainment with historical authenticity.
“I noticed that all the Ren Fairs were leaning heavily into fantasy, and some of it wasn’t very historically accurate,” Jones said. “So I thought I would like to do something like that, but include much more history in it, so it’s a very fun learning experience as well.”
Beyond celebrating Celtic culture, Jones said the festival’s larger mission is to bring families together and encourage people to spend time away from screens.
“The big thing is we’re trying to do something for families,” he said. “You drive through the neighborhoods these days on a Saturday. How many times do you see kids out playing? They’re all locked in their bedrooms on a computer somewhere, or on their phones.”
Jones believes events such as the Celtic Fest help families create lasting memories together.
“Families are not making the memories that they used to,” he said. “We’re trying to alleviate that and give them something that they can do together.”
The East Texas Celtic Fest is just one of several events organized by Jones and his team throughout the year. The organization also hosts Christmas and Easter events, a haunted attraction, live-action murder mysteries, a vinyl record show, paranormal and Bigfoot conferences, and plans to add a drive-in theater in the future.
For many attendees, however, the weekend was simply about enjoying a unique blend of history, music and community. Whether listening to the stirring sound of bagpipes, watching fire dancers perform, learning about Celtic traditions or trying their hand at Highland Games activities, visitors found plenty to experience.
As the festival settles into its new Hawkins home, organizers hope it will continue growing into a destination event for East Texas families while preserving and sharing the rich history and traditions of Celtic culture for years to come.