For some time, the Festival has worked on a six (6) year cycle celebrating official Nations individually, with the additions of Galicia and Asturias. As a result of this cycle some visitors only attend every six (6) years to see their favourite or home Nation, and participation numbers have fluctuated between 4,000 and 6,000 attendees. For the future sustainability of the Festival, it is important that the Festival continues to grow and maintain high participation and interest levels.
New Three (3) Year Cycle: In consultation with the Australian Standing Stones Management Board, it has been agreed to operate in a three (3) year cycle in the coming years combining the recognised Celtic Nations. The Australian Celtic Festival will recognise six (6) Celtic Nations to be featured at the Festival. The cycles and Nations will be as follows:
2019 Scotland
2020 Ireland and Isle of Man
2021 Wales, Cornwall and Brittany
Scotland is a strong Nation with a proud history and very popular with Australian Celtic Festival attendees as a unique theme. It is because of this that Scotland will remain a standalone Nation. Ireland and Isle of Man both also have cultural similarities and share heritage in the Gaelic languages and traditions While the Nations will be combined, the Festival will ensure that all honoured Nations are celebrated through ceremonies, performer selection themes and gourmet food. Wales, Cornwall and Brittany share a common ancient history, and in remaining Celts in the western lands of Britain, and in some moving across the channel to Brittany. Cornwall was briefly called West Wales by the Saxons, and Brittany is ‘little’ Britain to the larger lands of Great Britain. These Nations share a background of Brythonic strand of Celtic language. Other Nations of course have Celtic history and the Australian Celtic Festival continues to recognise all Celtic heritage within this new format.
