For anyone interested in understanding the Celtic roots of American traditional music, or enjoying the inventiveness of current practitioners of the form, the 14th annual Sebastopol Celtic World Music Festival brings together world-class talent from Sweden, Spain, Canada and the U.S., as well as around the British Isles, to Sonoma County CA September 19-21. Headlining performers include Scottish quartet The Tannahill Weavers, Swedish folk experimentalists Väsen, and Irish fiddle and guitar duo Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill.
The event includes evening concerts Friday and Saturday at the Sebastopol Cultural Community Center, an early evening Saturday concert/reception at Restaurant Eloise and a full slate of music, dance, workshops, vendors and more in Sabastopol's Laguna Youth Park. Each event is ticketed separately, or a full festival pass is priced at $180. The event is produced by Cumulus Presents, which also stages the great Kate Wolf Memorial Music Festival as well as individual concerts in Sebastopol.
I attended once several years back, and can highly recommend the event. Unlike more narrowly focused Celtic festivals in North America, Sebastopol's broad definition of the genre gives attendees an opportunity to taste not just the origins of the music but also its wide influence on music subgenres from around the globe.
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