Thursday, October 1, 2026
LEAVENWORTH — The Cascade Celtic Festival will return to Leavenworth May 1-3 for its second annual celebration of Celtic, Scottish and Irish culture.
“The Cascade Celtic Festival is about more than entertainment — it’s about honoring the living
traditions of Celtic culture and creating a welcoming space where community and heritage meet,” said Festival President, Alice Cloutier. “We’re thrilled to bring this celebration back to Leavenworth and to share an even richer, more immersive experience with attendees in 2026.”
The weekend festival will include music, dance, storytelling, artisan craft and community, featuring a lively blend of Celtic music concerts, Irish and Cape Breton dance showcases, bagpipe performances, music workshops, local and regional vendors, and family‐friendly activities.
Ranging from traditional Irish music to high-energy Celtic punk bands, the festival will offer nearly 30 performers across three different stages throughout the weekend. The artisan marketplace will feature local and regional vendors offering handcrafted goods, textiles, jewelry and festival fare.
There will also be workshops on various traditional instruments including the fiddle, in whistle, bodhran and song-writing, as well as intermediate and advanced Irish dance workshops. Friday evening will include a community dance called a “Ceili,” where festival attendees are invited to learn traditional Irish set dancing to a live Irish band at the local Chumstick Grange.
The inaugural Cascade Celtic Festival, organized by Cloutier, was held in Leavenworth last spring. A member of the Stout Pounders, one of the featured bands, she wanted to bring an event centered around Irish music to central and eastern Washington. Leavenworth was a natural choice for Cloutier, who grew up watching her dad, Thomas Tilton, play in the Little German Band throughout town. Today, Tilton is known for the Bavarian and Austrian folk band Alpenfolk.
Presented by KISW 99.9 “The Rock,” this year’s Cascade Celtic Festival will expand on its programming and cultural partnerships. Anticipating approximately 1,000 guests in attendance, organizers hope the event will be a boost for local businesses impacted by ripple effects of December’s storm damage.
“We hope to bring over half a million dollars of revenue to the local businesses who need it the most right now. We are also looking for other ways to give back to the community,” said Cloutier. “We intend to donate a portion of the proceeds for music camp scholarships and to support local dance schools.”
Full schedule and ticket information is available at Cascadecelticfestival.com
Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media
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