Celtic Fest Chicago...oh no!

**auld argonian** · 10th February 11, 04:04 PM

Just heard that the City is cutting out Celtic Fest as a separate event and is incorporating it as ONE DAY within the structure of Taste Of Chicago!

This cuts the event down from two days to one day. They cut it down to less physical area last year...

Frickin' budget constraints and lousy economy!

Best

AA

**Spartan Tartan** · 10th February 11, 05:44 PM

Years ago I as visiting a friend during taste of Chicago...good times. When is it this year? I'll be at Great Lakes Naval Station in May for a week. I'm hoping to add a weekend into the trip. The week is work/Navy related...but the weekend is ALL mine

**auld argonian** · 10th February 11, 07:52 PM

Taste is usually in July...ah...June 24 to July 3. Centers around the Independence Day festivities...such as they will be when the city is broke...

If you're up at Great Lakes and you're so inclined (as it's just a commuter train's ride into the city) keep us posted and we can see how many of the Chicago Rabble are around fer a pint.

Best

AA

**Spartan Tartan** · 11th February 11, 04:46 AM

AA,
Fourth of july seems like it fits the memory--or there abouts. It was several years ago...

I was planning to ask about meeting some of the Chicago rabble when the time grew closer. Hopefully we can make it work.

**BriarCub** · 11th February 11, 07:35 AM

*grumble* I was hoping to come to the Celtic Fest in September this year--I had a great time in 2007 (an earlier, pre-kilted time for me, LOL!) and was planning to do it this year and finally be able to meet some of the Chicagoland XMarkers, but I'll be away in California during the July 4th holiday :-(

**auld argonian** · 11th February 11, 08:23 AM

Yeah, the September thing was good but they had already moved it up to Mothers' Day for the past few years. Serious vendor dropout, less food options and NO MINI-HGHLAND GAMES. Forget the sheep herding demonstration because they would have to have it on that lawn in front of the Precious Pritzker Bandshell...and that turf is probably worth more per square foot than the infield at Wrigley Field.

Still don't know what the specific date will be.

Maybe we should throw up a kilted picket line outside Taste to protest the diminishment of Celtic Fest...

NAE SHEEPS, NAE CABERS, NAE HAGGIS....NAE KILTIES!!!!

Best

AA

**McFarkus** · 11th February 11, 08:36 AM

Well, I was disappointed with the reduced fest last year. Now that it's part of Taste of Chicago, I won't go at all. I went to TOC once and vowed, "Never again!"

**auld argonian** · 11th February 11, 08:51 AM

I hear ya', Mark.

TOC is an overpriced "are we having fun yet?" bit of business that native Chicagoans avoid in droves.

Always LOVE watching the suburbanites who come into the city once a year get lost trying to find Grant Park, though.

"Just walk EAST...it's the big green thing that comes just before the big blue wet thing...if you find yourself waist deep in Lake Michigan, you've gone too far...turn around and come back..."

Best

AA

**Drac** · 11th February 11, 09:08 AM

Spartan,

The party needs to be at Bob Chins!!! It's been a while but when I lived in Wheeling it was a great place with NICE pitchers of mai tais.

Jim

**Lallans** · 11th February 11, 09:20 AM

The Games and other celtic events in this area are run by Scottish and Irish societies and so on.

Old Canuckish proverb: If you rely on government for help, you can count on paying for the help... but not on actually getting any.