Do you play, sing, or just enjoy Irish, Scottish, or Cape Breton traditional music and camping? Pitch your tent at Deception Pass State Park for a casual weekend of tunes, songs, food, drink, and fun in the woods by the beach.

Your Hosts

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 coinciding with the ancient holiday of Lughnasadh!

Group Camp Site

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.

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 ceilidh each evening at which everyone is welcome to share. Evening cèilidhs will include Irish social dance opportunities.

For sessions that are themed, we will provide a list of tunes or songs that will be included so you can be sure you will be able to participate.

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

There will be a potluck on Friday evening and another on Sunday in the late morning that you can participate in if you like.

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

Books

The Camping Cèilidh team has so-far 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 16 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

Registration is available to those 18 years or older. Kids are welcome to attend with their parents or guardians.

Arrival day will be Thursday, August 3rd and departure day will be Sunday, August 6th. 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.

Register now on Eventbrite!

Cancelations

Cancelations received by July 20th 2023 will receive a full refund. Cancelations received between July 21st and August 3rd will receive a 50% refund. No refunds will be available for cancelations received during the event.

Covid Safety

Camping is one of the safest things you can do in a global pandemic because the great outdoors has great air circulation! Of course, we will be following current CDC guidance for infection prevention.