It’s always fun to put together this edition each year because I have the photos of the Festival and the Music Awards winners to include. Sometimes the weekend goes by in a blur but the photo edition reminds me of how much fun the weekend was.
 
It was very obvious that the 2017 Australian Celtic Festival celebrated its 25th Anniversary in grand style. I can now confirm that 5800 people attended the Festival over the weekend. The 2017 ACF Committee is to be congratulated on putting together the most successful event ever!
 
This edition of Celtic News is the first of the 2017/2018 year. There are so many exciting things on the drawing board, especially the Glen Innes Highlands String Music Convention – 17th to 19th November 2017.
 
This is an opportunity for all musicians to learn from some great Presenters. Classes will include fiddle, cello, guitar and banjo. Attendance is $250 including all meals from Friday evening to Sunday lunch, plus a Saturday night concert. Parents and Partners can also attend at $125 including all meals. The online registration will shortly be available through the Music Awards website (celticmusicawards.com) but  you can pre-register by contacting Julie at Glen Innes Services Club on 02 6732 1355.
 
Over the next few weeks we will profile the Presenters, beginning in this edition with David Hyams.

Workshops with David Hyams

Based in Fremantle WA, David Hyams is known nationally for his work as a composer, producer and instrumentalist. In 1999 he released his first album, “Miles To Go” and started the band of the same name – now well-known at Australian festivals and 8 times nominated for a WAM (WA Music Industry Association) award.

David is a seasoned songwriter and has collaborated as co-writer, arranger and producer with songwriters such as Bill Chambers, Lucky Oceans and Frank Jones (co-writer of rapper 360’s hit “Boys Like You”).

In 2009 he was signed to Shock Music Publishing Australia, one of Australia’s largest
independent Music Publishers. He has written extensively for film and TV, including the feature “Mad Bomber in Love”, and has been nominated for the WAM “Song of the Year” awards 3 times.

David has been a major contributor to WA’s music industry – as a member of ArtsWA’s contemporary music panel and as a longstanding WAM board member. His contribution to the organisation and industry was acknowledged in 2010, when he was made the organisation’s 3rd honorary life member.

In recent years David has shared his skills and experience through his work in projects involving a wide range of musical styles – from the country and ‘desert reggae’ styles of Central Desert Aboriginal communities, to the rap and hip hop of WA’s maximum security prisons. Particularly known for his ability to work with diverse communities, David has been an Artist in Residence in the Cocos Islands Malay Community and has run songwriting workshops in various WA prisons. He continues his work in jails with the “Murru” album and band, involving the Roebourne prison and community, for leading Australian arts company BighART.

David’s workshops for the Glen Innes Highlands String Music Convention will focus on writing for guitar and mandolin. His workshop will encourage participants to work
together and will perhaps result in a collaborative song being written.

We are very excited to introduce East Coast musicians to David’s unique talents and skills.

Website: www.milestogo.com.au
Email: info@milestogo.com.au

What’s on in Glen Innes??

Chill N Glen – 22nd and 23rd July 2017

Saturday

10.45 am – Experience Alpine Christmas traditions with a visit from Sankt Nikolaus, Krampus and Christkind

European Christmas Craft Market – Soak up the festive buzz at the FREE Christmas Art and Craft Market, with unique handmade goods and gifts lovingly crafted by local and visiting creatives
 
Try delicious European food at the Cafe zum AnbeiBen
 
Family Activities – Carnival atmosphere, giant street games and Knock ‘em Down.  Model trains, vintage cars and sulkies. Photographic fun
 
12.00 pm and 2.00 pm – Guided Heritage Building Walk by Graham Wilson OAM Glen Innes’ Heritage advisor
 
Art and Craft – Town Hall Exhibition “Cold Snaps” featuring local artists; Childrens art and craft activities in the Community Centre; Paint a Celebration Ball with Aboriginal artist Lloyd Hornsby; Demonstation by the Glen Innes Fibre Arts Group
 
Cracker Night – Glen Innes Showgrounds – Gates Open 4pm
Pedestrian access Torrington St – Vehicles Hunter St
Hot food, Family events, Fireworks 6pm. ENTRY Gold Coin

Saturday night

Traditional Christmas Dinners – BOOK direct or online:
www.gleninnestourism.com/event/chill-n-glen
 
Crofters Cottage
37 Watsons Drive, 02 6732 5303, crofterscottage2370@gmail.com 
View menu
 
Crystal Room Restaurant at Glen Innes and District Services Club
Cnr Grey and Lang Sts, 02 6732 4292
View menu
 
Great Central Hotel
313 Grey St, 02 6732 1966, gch@greatcentralhotel.com.au
View menu
 
Hereford Steakhouse Restaurant at Rest Point Motor Inn
72 New England Hwy, 02 6732 2255, food@herefordsteakhouse.com.au
Entertainment with Christine Davis
View menu
 
The Highlands Restaurant at New England Motor Lodge
160 Church Street, 02 67322922
View menu
 
Railway Tavern
Cnr Lambeth and Bourke Street, 02 67321504
View menu

Sunday

Visit our national monument, The Australian Standing Stones
 
Anytime – View White Rock Wind Farm from the highway
20 kms west of Glen Innes on the Gwydir Hwy
Phone: 1800 859 660
Email: info@whiterockwindfarm.com 
Website: www.whiterockwindfarm.com

10 am to 4 pm – Only 30 minutes drive to Emmaville’s own gem…
Emmaville Mining Museum, 86 Moore St Emmaville
Phone: 02 67347025   $2 ENTRY
 
7.30 am to 9.30 pm – Get your Chill n Glen photos printed at TSG, 190 Bourke St
Phone: 02 6732 2519 or 0418 428 485  
Email: dvd@tsggleninnes.com.au
Web: tobaccosg.com
 
8 am to 12 noon – Glen Innes Sunday Markets
Location: ANZAC Park East Ave
Phone: 0499 729 843
Email: legee@bigpond.com
 
9 am to 4 pm – A warming display to cheer up the coldest winter day
Land of the Beardies History House Museum & Research Centre
Cnr West Ave & Ferguson St.
Website: www.beardieshistoryhouse.info
Phone: 02 6732 1035
Morning and afternoon tea for a small fee.
Entry: $8 adults, $5 concession. Children under 16 FREE.
 
9 am to 3 pm – Souvenirs and visitor information
Glen Innes Visitor Information Centre, 152 Church St New England Hwy
Ph: 02 6730 2400
Email: tourism@gisc.nsw.gov.au
Website: www.gleninnestourism.com

9 am to 3 pm – Cut and polished gemstones
Reddestone Sapphires, 152 Church St New England Hwy
Phone: 02 6732 5173
Email: sales@reddestonesapphires.com.au 
Website: www.reddestonesapphires.com.au
 
10 am to 4 pm – Felting workshops and art & crafts gallery
A fee applies for workshops
Artisans of the Glen, 119 Taylor St.
Phone: 0439 685 969
Email: info@artisansoftheglen.com.au
 
9 am to 5 pm – Fossicking in a tub
Space limited. Fees apply.
Fossicker Caravan Park, 94-96 Church St (New England Hwy)
Phone: 02 6732 4246 or 1300 300 207
Email: fossickercvp@gleninnes.com
Website: www.fossickercaravanpark.com.au
 
10.30 am to 10 pm – Raffles & TAB facilities
Glen Innes & District Services Club, 120 Grey St.
Phone: 02 6732 1355
Website: giservices.com.au
 
10 am to 4 pm – Saddles and leather products including ugg boots
The Saddler, 2 Church St (New England Hwy).
Phone: 02 6732 3337 or 0432 863 655
Email: mjdawson_saddler@hotmail.com
 
10 am to 2 pm – Meet an alpaca
Glen Waverly B&B and Alpacas – wool, spinning etc at the farm
Lot 1 Fawcett Rd.  Phone: 0408 482 158
Email: betty.glenwaverly@gmail.com
Website: glenwaverlyfarmstayandalpacas.com
 
9.30 am to 12 noon – Fossicking at the Park
Glen Rest Tourist Park, 9807 New England Hwy.  Phone: 02 6732 2413
Email: glenrestcaravan@bigpond.com
Website: www.fossickercaravanpark.com.au
Fees apply.

10 am to 2 pm – Buying and selling second hand books
The Book Market, 245 Grey St.
Phone: 02 6732 6622
Email: shop@thebookmarket.com.au
Website: www.thebookmarket.com.au
 
10 am to 2 pm – Art gallery. Art On the Corner
251 Grey St.   Phone: 0427 709 686
 
10 am to 4 pm – See the TARDIS and home of Faeries of the Glen. Babies for sale and bar memorabilia. Knick Knackery.
Cnr Lambeth and Wentworth Sts
Phone: 02 6732 6101

Where to eat

8 am to 3 pm – Breakfast & carvery buffet lunch
Great Central Hotel, 313 Grey St.
Phone: 02 6732 1966
Email: gch@greatcentralhotel.com.au
Website: greatcentralhotel.com
 
8.30 am to 2.00-ish – Long breakfast and lunch
Gigi’s Café, 269 Grey Street
Phone: 0487 759 569
Facebook: @gigiscafeongrey
 
8.30 am to 2.30 pm – Breakfast and lunch. More donuts anyone?
Peppermints Café, 215 Grey Street
Phone: 02 6732 5914
 
9 am to 5 pm – Enjoy strawberries and cream, homemade scones, milkshakes, gifts.
The Super Strawberry – 9922 New England Hwy   Phone: 02 6732 1210
Email: supastrawb@hotmail.com
Website: www.superstrawberry.com.au

9 am to 5 pm – Traditional meals, morning and afternoon teas – gluten free 
Crofters Cottage, 37 Watsons Drive
Phone: 02 6732 5303
Email: crofterscottage2370@gmail.com
 
10.30 am to 9 pm – Lunch and Dinner
Crystal Room Restaurant at Glen Innes & District Services Club, 120 Grey St.
Phone: 02 6732 4292
 
11 am to 4 pm – High tea and art
The Tea Room Gallery, 194 Bourke St.  Phone: 0403 199 798
Instagram: @tearoomgallery
Facebook: @thetearoomgallery
 
11.30am to 2pm & 4.30pm to 8pm – Sunday roast & full menu
Harrys Snack Shack and Licenced Café. 15-19 Church St (New England Hwy)
Phone: 02 6732 1514
Email: bookings@poplarcaravanpark.com.au
Website: www.poplarcaravanpark.com.au

12 midday to 3 pm – Sunday Lunch
Red Lion Tavern, 8025 New England Hwy GLENCOE.  
Phone: 02 6733 3271  Email: redlionglencoe@bigpond.com
Website: www.redliontavern.com.au
 
12 pm to 2 pm – Bistro lunch
Railway Tavern, Cnr Bourke & Lambeth Sts
Phone: 02 6732 1504
Email: railtav@exemail.com.au
 
5 pm to 7 pm – Gourmet Pizza Night
New England Motor Lodge
160 Church St New England Hwy
Phone: 02 6732 2922   Email: info@neml.com.au
Website: www.neml.com.au
 
6 pm to 8 pm – Dinner
Hereford Steakhouse Restaurant, 72 New England Hwy
Phone: 02 6732 2922
Email: food@herefordsteakhouse.com.au
Website: www.restpointmotel.com.au

Massed Pipe Bands at the Parade, outside Glen Innes Town Hall – photo by Nicci Parry Jones

Murphy’s Pigs

Murphy’s Pigs welcomed 2 new members for their first performances at the 2017 Australian Celtic Festival – Gregory Peatey on violin and vocals and Ciaron Jackson on keyboards and accordion.

You can catch up with Murphy’s Pigs on the following dates.

Mark Cryle and Carmel Newman

They are heading for the Tablelands Festival at Yungaburra, Queensland on 27th to 29th October.
 
The festival is the longest running folk festival in Queensland, and features a full children’s program as well as around 200 artists at 14 venues.
 
Weekend tickets go on sale on 1st August and are $95 for the weekend. Camping is $10 for the weekend.

Website: www.tablelandsfolkfestival.org.au.

Siobhan Owen

Australian Celtic Female Artist 2017

String Loaded Celtic Fiddle Band

2017 Artist of the Year, 2017 Celtic Group of the Year, 2017 Instrumental of the Year (Morrison’s Jig), 2017 Album of the Year (Beggars and Butterflies)

Roving Crows

2017 International Celtic Artist of the Year

What’s on in Armidale??

1st Thurs each month
New England Jazz & Improvisation Collective – NEJIC
https://www.facebook.com/nejic/

9th July
Studio Concert Series: Concert 5
Alana Blackburn (pictured right) and Steve Thorneycroft
Tickets: Adult $15, Concession $10, High School Students $5, Children under 12 are free. Bookings are essential.
Contact kezmusic2@bigpond.com

The Ceilidh Clan

Brisbane's Scottish dance band, The Ceilidh Clan, will be running a series of fun Community Ceilidhs at the Red Hill Community Sports Club in Brisbane. Suitable for beginners and families, all welcome! Doors open 6:30pm for a 7pm start. Adults $15, Concession $10, Family $30. Tickets at the door. Dates are: 28^th July, 25^th August, 22^nd September and 24^th November. Full details can be found at www.ceilidhclan.com or phone 0409 760 993.

Gone Molly

"The new voices of Anglo-Celtic folk", Brisbane-based duo Gone Molly are currently crowd-funding to record their debut album. Visit www.gonemolly.com or pozible.com/project/gone-molly-debut-album to find out more and to help them reach their goal!

Michael Fix

Michael Fix pictured with the very entertaining Richard Gilewitz, from Florida, USA

Clan Celtica – Tribal Thunder (New Zealand)

Clan Celtica drumming up a storm under beautiful blue Glen Innes skies at the 2017 Australian Celtic Festival.

And most exciting of all. . .

The Outlander phenomenon is coming to Glen Innes

Fans of the phenomenally successful Outlander TV series will descend on Glen Innes in October 2018 for what promises to be the biggest fan gathering in the southern hemisphere. Glen Innes might be a long way from the Scottish highlands where the series is set, but it is the natural setting for the fan gathering. Glen Innes happens to have a circle of magnificent stones, similar to the stone circle that plays an important role in the Outlander story.

Crofters Cottage is a replica Black House. The cottage design is based on OId Leanach Cottage that survived the battle of Culloden on Culloden Moor. Outlander fans know that the battle of Culloden also plays a pivotal role in the series.

The Standing Stones will be the focus for the weekend-long event, which will be called “Outlandish”. Fans will dress in costume for the weekend and be transported to the Standing Stones before dawn to travel back to 1743. At night, a number of venues will be decorated in theme to host Outlander dinners.

Event co-ordinators Melissa Lindsay, Julie Clement and Judi Toms (in her role as Chair of the Standing Stones Management Board) have been planning Outlandish for a year. “It is an opportunity to attract hundreds of visitors to Glen Innes Highlands that mightn’t have been here until now,” Julie says. “Local support is important. Glen Innes Services Club, New England Motor Lodge and Hereford Steak House are hosting themed dinners”.

As well as this Outlander fan gathering 20th & 21st October 2018, the event coordinators believe it will inspire many fans to consider Glen Innes as the perfect highlander wedding destination. Julie adds, “This is a weekend experience for the true Outlander fan.  Our ability to mimic the Outlander series is OUTSTANDING!!!” Go to outlanderfangathering.com.au for details.

Members of NEMAS at their medieval village installation at the Standing Stones site – Australian Celtic Festival 2017

I do hope that you enjoy this edition. It’s been great fun putting it together.

Barbara McLennan
Editor
Celtic News
02 6734 6246
barbara.saxonge@gmail.com

Published with permission from Celtic News