- May 8, 2025
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Punta Gorda's Luke Graham says that his ancestors migrated from Ireland to the United States hundreds of years ago, before it was acceptable to be Irish in America.
Orlando's Barbara and Dion Friant came to the event to see the band Screaming Orphans.
Tampa's Michael Miller, with wife Trish, shows his Celtic pride by wearing a kilt.
Ocala's Bobbie Beck dresses like Guinevere from King Arthur fame when she attends Celtic festivals like the one at Nathan Benderson Park.
Greenbrook's Ron and Ev Turner are volunteers at the event serving beer, but had a quick second to drink some themselves during their break.
Lakewood Ranch's Killarney the dog is owned by Kelly Christie, the owner of the Wandering Pub LLC.
Sarasota's Beau Wilberding and Clearwater's Kris O'Meara rock out to Derek Warfrield and the Young Wolf Tones.
Venice's Mark Macphee performed the festival on his bag pipe.
Osprey's John Stanley, Lisa Gardner and Austin Gardner, 7, wore their Celtic apparel.
Fiona School of Irish Dance's Georgia Histon, 4, Charlee Histon, 6, Ava Kelly, 5 and Stella Histon, 4, get ready to perform an Irish dance.
Longwood Run's Lynn Fitzpatrick and Brian Fitzpatrick say they attend Celtic festivals all over the state.
Irish Dance Academy of Sarasota's Astrid Fuller, 6, has to warm up before she and the rest of her dance troupe perform at the festival.
Tampa's Suzanne Goode, Mathew Baker and Adam Gelmi say they drove down to Benderson Park to hear Derek Warfrield and the Young Wolf Tones.
Thistle is a 12-year-old Scottish Terrier from St. Petersburg that developed a limp around Christmas last year. Now, her owner Gary Graham uses a remote control car to pull her around in a wagon.
The festival reenacted a viking invasion on the lake.
The Sarasota Celtic Music Festival was held at Nathan Benderson Park for the first time.
Gerry Mccruden plays in the VIP room in the finish tower at Nathan Benderson Park.
Greenbrook's Ev Turner knows she has Celtic roots, and she wants to support the people who celebrate those roots.
"I just had one of those ancestry tests done to determine what I'm made of," said Turner, who found she has a good dose of Celtic background.
So she decided to volunteer to serve beer at the Sarasota Celtic Music Festival Oct. 26-27 at Nathan Benderson Park on Oct. 27, hosted by the New World Celts chapter in Sarasota.
It was the third annual event, which included live music, Celtic dishes and plenty of adult beverages. Events included a weapons demonstration, a Viking invasion reenactment and dancers.