Lancaster, Pa's very own Celtic Fling

Whether or not you have an Irish background, the Celtic Fling & Highland Games at the PA Renaissance Faire, June 24-26, is an Irish festival that you don’t want to miss. The 13th annual festival opens Friday night, with a concert, and continues through Sunday, with a celebration of Celtic Culture. Scheduled for the same weekend as the Antiques Capital Summer Extravaganza, in Adamstown PA, you’ll have options to discover the past through antiques and a cultural celebration. Entertainers will share their love of the traditional and contemporary Celtic heritage through dancing, music, reenacting, and demonstrations. Merchants will be set up, and Irish food and drinks will entice you to try all the different foods. Demonstrations of sheep herding and glass blowing provide a glimpse into the traditional life of Celtic culture.

The most intriguing part of the Ren Faire is the Scottish Highland Games. Both men and women compete in traditional gaelic sports such as hurling, the caber toss, and the stone wieght toss to claim the title of “Athlete of the Day”. A caber is a 19 foot log, weighing up to 130 pounds, that is tossed in a specific manner to produce the highest score. Since there are so many activities to see at this Celtic Fling, I recommend watching many of the Highland games, as they will amaze you!

A convenient location to stay, if you’re visiting both the antiques and the PA Ren faire, is the Adamstown Inns & Cottages. Choose between a luxury bed and breakfast or a vacation cottage. The Firefly Cottage is perfect for small families and it’s also a pet friendly rental. At this Lancaster Pa bed and breakfast, you can relax in a jacuzzi tub, sit on the porch with a glass of wine, or in the gardens while visiting with family. There are only a few lodging options left, so call today if you’re interested in the Celtic Fling or Antique Extravaganza!

Lancaster PA Renaissance Faire

With Summer coming to an end and school starting up, it marks the beginning of cooler days, the anticipation of autumn, the beginning of the PA Renaissance Faire, and perhaps the last chance to get away before schedules start to get hectic. Why not book a weekend stay at the Amethyst Inn (Adamstown, Pennsylvania) for a fun weekend away, or you could rent the Adamstown Vacation home for your entire family! Lancaster County, Pa is the place to be for fall fun!

The Renaissance Faire, in Western Lancaster County, is fun for everyone, and an experience that you won’t soon forget. When I think of the faire, I remember my friends dressing up in medieval garments, watching the mud wrestlers, gnawing on a turkey leg for dinner, and the anticipation throughout the day that led up to the final joust. While they still have many of the same activities, the events and themes are different every year, and sometimes even change with themed weekends.

The scenario this year is titled the “Thirty Year Love Affair”. It encompasses the celebration of the end of the Spanish Armada, the dawn of the Golden Age and the 30th birthday of the Good Shire of Mount Hope. The merriment and festivities will be abundant, as the anticipation of the Human Chess Match and the Ultimate Joust will prove who the Queen’s favorite is.

In addition to the shows and games, there will be demonstrations from merchants: glass blowing, woodcarving, and archery. You’ll also run into jesters and jugglers, and even parades of pirates! Make sure you attend some of the shows, the human chess match and the final joust, so that you stay up to date with the events of the day!

After visiting the medieval era, you’ll enter the Victorian era when you visit the Amethyst Inn and appreciate the decor and quiet setting. You’ll also be thankful to have your own private (and clean) bathroom and room in which to relax. The breakfasts won’t be as exotic as a turkey leg, but will be both delicious and filling! You won’t want to miss this season of the PA Renaissance Faire and remember that they are open on Labor Day too!