St. Augustine Celtic Music & Heritage Festival

March 14 & 15, 2020 
St. Augustine, Florida.
​www.celticstaugustine.com

​by Albert Syeles
President, St. Augustine 
EpiCentre Alliance

​​Every March “Spanish” St. Augustine, Florida, USA, celebrates its Celtic roots with “the world’s original St. Patrick Parade”, the St. Augustine Highland Games, the internationally recognized St. Augustine Celtic Music and Heritage Festival and something new: “Celtic NOIR! Mystery and Crime Writers”. 

St. Augustine’s has an amazing Celtic history, including Colonial Governors and historic vicars of Celtic descent, stories of romance and mystery, and most extraordinarily: St. Augustine was founded by Celts. St. Augustine’s history used to be thought-of as primarily Spanish. Even the significant British Colonial period here, which spans the American Revolution, only gets occasional attention. But in1565, 800 colonists and soldiers settled here from the northern, Celtic region of Spain... Spanish Celts! And more than half the residents of St. Augustine can claim an ancestor from Scotland, Ireland, Wales or one of the other Seven Celtic Nations. 

And first St. Patrick’s parade/procession ever recorded in the whole WORLD took place here in 1601.
There is much more. Six Colonial Florida Governors were of Celtic descent. The Spanish Colony had many Irish vicars! Irish Priests Thomas Hassett and Miguel O'Reilly supervised the construction of St. Augustine’s beautiful Cathedral from 1793 to its completion, and consecrated it in 1797.

In 1795, Lt. Juan O'Donovan of the Hibernian Regiment stationed here, eloped with the Spanish Governor’s daughter. He was arrested and jailed for two years before the King of Spain himself determined that the marriage was valid. Inn 1785, Lt. Guillermo Delaney of the Castillo San Marco garrison was attacked near the home of his girlfriend, Catalina Morain. The murder of Lt. Delaney remains officially unsolved. At the corner of St. George Street and Hypolita Street, where the fenced garden of Queen Isabella stands now, “The Lost Shrine” to San Patricio stood in the 1600’s. 
And of course, St. Augustine is the home of “The finest Celtic Music Festival in the United States”.

St. Augustine Celtic Music & Heritage Festival 
The St. Augustine Celtic Music & Heritage Festival has been voted Best Concert/Event of the “Bold City Best” in the Jacksonville region, Best Festival in St. Augustine, and even Runner-Up Best Food Festival in the Jacksonville area. The Festival has thousands of fans from as far away as Canada and the British Isles. 

Although each of the bands have been the headliner at Irish, Scottish or Celtic Festivals throughout the world, the St. Augustine Festival is known as the finest Celtic Music Festival in the U.S. because it presents so many major Celtic headliners. 

The event is held the weekend before St. Patrick Day every year. Festivities begin on Friday with a pre-festival Whiskey Tasting, then continue Saturday and Sunday with live performances on two stages at Francis Field on Castillo Drive. The weekend also features The St. Augustine Highland Games, Celtic artisans and food, and kids’ games. Of course, The World’s Original St. Patrick Parade steps off at 10 a.m. on Saturday from the Festival grounds and returns there after circuiting the City. St. Augustine’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade has been recognized internationally by Ireland of the Welcomes magazine, and IrishCentral.com as one of the United States’ most remarkable St. Patrick celebrations. 

The sounds of the ancient Celtic peoples of Scotland and Ireland are as alive today as ever at the St. Augustine Celtic Music Festival. Find the Celt in you as you take in the sights, sounds and tastes of centuries of European history. Celtic clans from around the world show their ancestral pride, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade marches through the streets of the Oldest City’s Historic District, Highland games athletes demonstrate their mind-boggling strength, and vendors offer up Celtic cuisine and handmade crafts. 

St. Augustine’s has a long and amazing Celtic history that started right at its beginning in 1565. St. Augustine was founded by Celts… Spanish Celts. We are not only the nation’s oldest city, we’re ‘The Oldest Celtic City in all the Americas!’ 
The St. Augustine Celtic Music & Heritage Festival takes place on March 14 & 15, 2020 in St. Augustine, Florida. For details: www.celticstaugustine.com