International headliners like Gaelic Storm and Socks in the Frying Pan are always a big draw at the annual Dayton Celtic Festival presented by the United Irish of Dayton. Of course, the three-day event at RiverScape MetroPark in Dayton through Sunday, July 30, is also ripe with talented homegrown acts like Changeling, FinTan and Dulahan.
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WHAT: Dayton Celtic Festival with headliners Gaelic Storm, Socks in the Frying Pan, Scythian, We Banjo 3, Skipper's Alley, The Drowsey Lads and local groups Changeling, FinTan, Dulahan and others.
WHEN: 5:30 to 11 p.m. Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 28 through 30
WHERE: RiverScape MetroPark, 101 E. Monument Ave., Dayton
COST: Free
INFO: 937-372-9788 | www.daytoncelticfestival.com
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“We’ve played Dayton Celtic Festival every year since its inception,” said Dulahan frontman Kyle Aughe. “We were an unknown band in 2001 when we were given the opportunity and have been performing at DCF every year since. The festival has been an important part of our evolution as a band. As the premier fest in our hometown, it’s a highlight on our summer schedule every year.
“It’s a fun festival for our long term fans and also allows us to share our music with folks not familiar with Dulahan,” Aughe continued. “We’re looking forward to being the closing act of the night on the Pub Stage both Friday and Saturday night. We’ll also be performing our traditional noon slot on the main stage on Sunday right after the Gaelic Mass.
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“We’ve been gradually incorporating our American Roots influences into our Celtic sound for a few years,” Aughe said. “We have always been inspired by artists like Tim O’Brien and Great Big Sea who fuse multiple genres into their music but remain true to their core sound. As the band’s primary songwriter, my folk, Celtic and roots influences often meld together in our hybrid sound.
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“We still love writing, recording and performing our original material as much as when we started,” Aughe added. “We consider ourselves very fortunate to have made an impact and remained relevant on the regional music scene for so long. We recognize 15 years and eight albums are milestones a lot of bands never reach and we’re very thankful we still enjoy making music together.”
Music and dance performances begin at 6 p.m. Friday, and noon Saturday and Sunday. Gaelic Mass is 10 a.m. Sunday.
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