Camping Cèilidh 2025

Seumas Gagne, Christine Traxler, Christian Hoffman, Suzanne Taylor, and Alicia Guinn, longtime colaborators in Irish and Scottish music and dance, are looking forward to welcoming friends old and new to Camping Cèilidh! The group brings a wealth of knowledge of Irish dance tunes, Scottish Gaelic songs, traditional Irish and Scottish songs in English, and Irish social and sean-nós dance that guarantees a well rounded celebration!

We have booked the group camp site at Deception Pass State Park which can host around 40 people. It is on the eastern shore of Cranberry lake, so a little further removed from the ocean, but also far removed from the rest of the camp sites. Read more about Deception Pass and the group camp site.

Camping Cèilidh includes a little bit of gentle organization. Times and places will be set aside for specific sessions to be sure that tune players get to play lots of tunes and singers get to sing lots of songs.

We will also be joining all together for a cèilidh each evening at which everyone is welcome to share.

Alicia Guinn will be facilitating Irish social dance sessions, so remember to pack a pair of leather-soled shoes! Learn more about Alicia here: aliciaguinn.com

Immersive game-play Scottish Gaelic language sessions will also be presented.

There will be a potluck on Friday evening that you can participate in if you like.

A full schedule of events and additional details will be sent to registrants in advance.

The Camping Cèilidh team has produced two books for participants: The Book of Common Tunes and Leabhar nan Òran Cumanta. The first is a collection of mostly Irish dance tunes selected by Suzanne from The Session website at thesession.org. The latter is a collection of leadsheets with melody, suggested chords, and lyrics for well-known songs in Scottish Gaelic compiled and edited by Seumas.

PDF editions of both will be emailed to all registered participants prior to the event. Along with your registration, you can also purchase a printed copy which will be available for you to pick up at the event.

Registration is available to those 18 years or older. Registered parents and guardians can bring their kids with them for an additional charge.

Arrival day will be Thursday, July 31st and departure day will be Sunday, August 3rd. If you decide to arrive late or leave early that will not change what it costs us for the group site, so no change to your registration fee will be offered.

If you would like to make a donation to the Camping Cèilidh Assistance Fund, you can add it into your registration as an Add-on item. Donations will help your fellow Cèilidh Campers who might otherwise be unable to attend. Any remaining funds after the event registration closes will be donated to the Celtic Arts Foundation. Donations are NOT tax deductible.

If you are in need of help from the Assistance Fund, please email c2V1bWFzIHwgc2V1bWFzZ2FnbmUgISBjb20= to let us know.

Cancelations received by July 25th 2025 will receive a full refund. Cancelations received between July 26th and the start of the event will receive a 50% refund. No refunds will be available for cancelations received during the event.

Also check out other Trips & Adventurous Activities in Oak Harbor, Music events in Oak Harbor.