Celtic festival at Bethabara park

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Roar
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Celtic festival at Bethabara park

Post by Roar »

Hello all! I went to the local Celtic festival at Bethabara park today and I thought you all might like to see some of the sights.

Bethabara is the small sister town of Salem (now called "Old Salem"). It was founded by a sect of German protestants called Moravians. The town was fortified by a wooden stockade for protection against the Native Americans in the area but the Moravian people treated the Indians in the area so kindly that they never attacked the town. Bethabara was also a resting stop for troops who fought in the French and Indian war as well as the American Revolution.

Here are some people in period American colonial dress. The gentleman is in front of the visitor's center and the ladies are in the doorway of the church.

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Here is the parade of pipers and drummers from all over North Carolina. I wish I could have gotten a recording for all of you to listen to because the pipes are so beautiful!

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Here's a view of the clan tents. Westley and I are members of Clan MacThomas but there wasn't a representative there for our clan. Our clan motto is "Deo Juvante Invidiam Superabo" Which means "With God's Help I will Overcome Envy" I don't quite know if that refers to all Combs' thinking they're the stuff...or referring to the banishment from their home lands after Thom MacThomas slaughtered the clan laird of the MacIntoshes.

I dunno....... anyway........


Clans Wallace (of Braveheart fame), Little, Buchanan, MacIntosh (Clan Chattan) and a host of others were there in attendance.

The Clan MacIntosh representative recognized our tartan and immediately brought up Wes' ancestors murdering his ancestor jokingly.

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Along with the music there was also a border collie named Sam and he his owner gave a great show herding ducks around children and sheep as well. The sheep herding was cut a bit short however because the dog started misbehaving by nipping at the sheep and the owner in the kilt was getting more than a bit irritated with the dog acting out. I suppose he didn't want to swat the dog with the shepherd's crook in front of everyone so he put Sam up.


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Here are some pictures of the animals in pens before the herding events.

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I usually don't take pictures of sales tents but this one deserved to be taken. This guy was selling "Irish Barbecue" slow roasted with peat. I think if he wanted to sell more of it he shouldn't have been giving away samples but that was just my opinion.

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Bethabara Park also has a large wildflower garden I took a couple of shots of it as well as a nice picture of one of the many rabbits that live outside our house that Starscream and Stingray haven't managed to kill yet.
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Cliffjumper
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Cool that looks like it was a fun day :D
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"Look at Megatron. I'm gonna blast that smile off his faceplate".
Minerva
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Post by Minerva »

Thanks for sharing! I agree with CJ, that looks like fun :)
Salem really looks like a beautiful place... I wish things looked just as lush and green when I go outside too :P
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Commander Megatron
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Post by Commander Megatron »

Thanks for sharing Roar. I am guessing it was a full day's entertainment. I would have enjoyed that sort of thing. I love history :D
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Lennyluck

Post by Lennyluck »

cool beans, that does look really fun. Passed through there in 98, not during the festival though. How was the food?
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Roar
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Post by Roar »

Lennyluck wrote:cool beans, that does look really fun. Passed through there in 98, not during the festival though. How was the food?
The festival is a lot fun and its one event that you don't need to apply for a parade permit to carry a sword in the city limits of Winston-Salem so lots of people come in their dress armed to the teeth with sgian dubhs (say it like "skeean-doo"), claymores and pointed targes (small leather covered shield often decorated with rivets)

The food was pretty expensive so we didn't get much of it. There were some traditional scottish foods being served there like haggis which is liver and other assorted organ meats with pin oats and seasonings cooked stuffed in a sheep's stomach. Haggis is served with "Neeps and Tatties" (turnips and potatoes)

The people serving it there were getting everything out of a can though so I don't think it was traditionally made. Neither one of us are much of a liver fan so we didn't eat any. There was also a british food booth with fish and chips, meat pies and all kinds of candies including jelly babies. My husband bought a big bag of those and we fought over the currant flavored ones. :wink:

There also was the obligatory several booths of cotton candy, corn dogs and other fair like foods you could buy.
Lennyluck

Post by Lennyluck »

ahhh...good ol haggis, had it once - not that bad, just not something I'ld stand in line for, but it all sounds great. Fish n chips I'm always up for ...lolz and you get to carry a sword too, thats awsome...

Any festive dancing ???
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Roar
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Post by Roar »

Lennyluck wrote:ahhh...good ol haggis, had it once - not that bad, just not something I'ld stand in line for, but it all sounds great. Fish n chips I'm always up for ...lolz and you get to carry a sword too, thats awsome...

Any festive dancing ???
I'm showing my ignorance here as I don't know the proper name for it but there were Irish dancers dancing in a line in their outfits. (Riverdance type dancing) They were extremely good, I don't see how they do it.

There were also children doing the crossed claymore dance as well as some teenaged kids in the back of the visitors center rolling around on cardboard trying to breakdance.

Hey.....maybe its coming back. :lol:
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