CELTIC FESTIVAL – ST AUGUSTINE
St. Augustine’s popular annual Celtic Music and Heritage Festival will be held at Francis Field from Friday, March 10 through Sunday, March 12 2023. This is the 11th Annual Celtic Festival, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and the sights, sounds and tastes of the ancient peoples of Scotland, Ireland, Wales and other parts of Europe.
Celtic clans from around the world come to show their ancestral pride, athletes demonstrate their strength at the Highland Games, and Celtic folk music and rock rings out throughout the weekend. Vendors and local downtown restaurants offer up Celtic cuisine and handmade crafts, and the world’s oldest St. Patrick’s Day Parade marches through the streets of the nation’s oldest city.
Friday, March 10, 2023: Whiskey Tasting at 7 p.m. in the VIP Tent at Francis Field. The tasting event is $60 per person and features seven premium brands of Irish and Scotch whiskeys for visitors to sample. A limited number of tickets are available, and only online here. From 4 to 6 p.m., there will also be a free Highland Games clinic for those interested in competing.
Saturday, March 11, 2023: The St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place on Saturday at 10 a.m. St. Augustine’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is the oldest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the world (it first happened here in 1601) and the ONLY St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Northeast Florida. Festival gates at Francis Field open at 10 a.m. and live entertainment begins with a Bagpipe Jam at 11:15 a.m.
Sunday, March 12, 2023: Gates open at 10 a.m. and the festival ends at 7 p.m. Throughout the day, live entertainment will be on the main stage at Francis Field (beginning at noon) as well as on a secondary stage.
Celtic Clans: Clans from throughout Scotland and Ireland will show off their family pride and represent their ancient heritage. That family’s music, colors, language and stories will educate and entertain visitors. The Highland Games Athletes are encouraged to march in the parade on Saturday morning. Competition for those not marching in the parade begins at 10 a.m. The Highland Games continue on Sunday beginning at 10 a.m.