Music, dance, and ancient tradition will light up the Willamette Heritage Center
This October, welcome the “darker half” of the year…Celtic style. The Samhain Celtic New Year Festival returns Saturday, October 25, to fill the Spinning Room at the Willamette Heritage Center with the rhythm of pipes and the spirit of an ancient Gaelic celebration.
For those unfamiliar, Samhain (pronounced “sow-in,” with an “ow” like in cow) is a historical occasion that marks the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter: the Celtic New Year. It’s a time to honor ancestors, gather with community, and celebrate life’s cycles through music, dance, and storytelling.
Locally organized by the Céilí of the Valley Society, the festival aims to bring an engaging and entertaining day of Celtic culture to the community through live performances, workshops, and hands-on activities representing the seven Celtic nations: Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany, Galicia, and the Isle of Man.
John DeJarnett
Willamette Valley Pipes & Drums at 2023 Samhain Celtic New Year Festival
Festivities kick off with a marching performance by Willamette Valley Pipes & Drums at 10:15 a.m., followed by the Sword Dance from Eric Chandler.
This year’s featured band, Na Rósaí Trio, will take to the stage at 11 a.m. Their music bridges continents, weaving together traditional Irish, Scottish, Breton, and Appalachian influences with Uilleann pipes, fiddle, and bouzouki. They will perform a second time for the céilí dance from 4 to 5 p.m., which will wrap up the festival. Don’t be intimidated. No experience is needed; the steps are taught, then called, and this friendly group is more than welcoming.
Courtesy of Na Rosai Trio
Na Rosai Trio
And best of all? Admission is free, thanks to generous support from local sponsors and a City of Salem Transient Occupancy Tax grant. So whether you come for the music, the food, or the kinship, you’ll find warmth and welcome as Salem honors the turning of the seasons…Celtic style.
Samhain Celtic New Year Festival
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, October 25
Spinning Room, Willamette Heritage Center, 1313 Mill St SE
Free admission | celticfestival.info