The 18th annual Water Valley Celtic Festival saw about 1,100 paying guests entertained by 218 musicians, dancers, storytellers and others.
Held at various venues in Water Valley, the June 17-18 festival was a hit, said organizing committee chairman Peter van Hal.
“We were very, very happy with this year's festival,” van Hal told the Gazette.
The festival wouldn't have been possible without the support and efforts of the 117 volunteers from Water Valley and Cremona who helped out this year, he said.
“I was very pleased to see all those people volunteering this year,” he said.
Performers this year came from B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan, with guests coming from as far away as Yellowknife and the Republic of Ireland, he said.
Besides a couple of short showers, this year's festival saw warm, sunny temperatures.
“That is always helpful when we have nice weather at the festival,” he said.
Although the main festival was held on June 18, a sneak-a-peak concert featuring the five-member ARIS band was held in the Water Valley Events Centre on June 17.
Ria van Hal, Peter's wife, was the vice-chair of this year's organizing committee.
Dave Settles, founder of the festival, commended the 2016 organizers, volunteers and performers.
“I was particularly impressed by the number of young people in both attendance and performing this year,” Settles said in an email. “This is of importance because without the young the festival would dry up as fallen leaves in fall weather.
“With the young we can look forward to a continuance of the festival and then when we get long in the tooth they may tolerate us in future festivals, help us tune, let us sit in on sessions, that sort of thing.”
Planning by the organizing committee will soon get underway for the 19th annual festival on June 17, 2017, said van Hal.
Organizers hope to make several improvements next year, including with the audio system and with the addition of more seating, he said.
The Water Valley Celtic Festival is patterned after a similar festival in Feakle, County Clare, Ireland.
"We were very, very happy with this year's festival."Peter van Halchairman
