As Highland Dancers in New Mexico, we are excited to have three Celtic Festivals to perform or compete at! Learn more about them below, and we’d love to see you at one of these fun-filled, family-friendly events.
Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival
The Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival is the oldest Celtic festival in New Mexico. It happens the first weekend in May at the Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque. Experience two full days of Celtic music, piping performances and competitions, world class Highland athletics, Celtic dogs, and more!
This is one of our busiest weekends of the year at Highland Dance Albuquerque. Our dancers turn out for the competition Saturday morning, followed by Sunday workshops. Sunday afternoon we perform with the New Mexico Scottish Highland Dance Association, and sometimes we have a special performance with a headliner like Ally the Piper! It’s a great weekend to spend with our dance community, and we look forward to it every year.
New Mexico Renaissance Celtic Festival
The New Mexico Renaissance Celtic Festival is held over two weekends in Edgewood in late March and early April each year. With live music, performers, dancers, and traditional and not so traditional Renaissance fare, this event is fun for all ages. With free entrance for kids under 17, it’s also a great family deal!
Our Highland Dance Albuquerque dancers typically perform on one weekend as part of the New Mexico Scottish Highland Dance Association. We perform a variety of traditional dances, and this is a great opportunity to experience the colorful outfits and precise footwork of Scottish Highland Dance!
Aztec Celtic Festival
The Aztec Celtic Festival occurs the first weekend in October in Aztec, New Mexico, and is a wonderful fall event! Attend this event to experience traditional Celtic music, Highland athletics, pipe bands, dancing, and more in a beautiful setting.
The Highland Dance competition is held on Saturday morning, and is one of our favorite end of season events, especially when the dance stage is next to the Highland coos! Our dancers enjoy the opportunity to compete and participate in a workshop, and spend time with their dance friends.