It has been the tradition of the Celtic Music Festival to run pre-festival school (K-12) programs for the children and youth of Huerfano County. In 2007 the elementary grades were treated to an all-school concert performed by a team of that festival's artists. This was followed by four involvement sessions where children had Scottish Ceilidh dancing with Annabel Oates, singing of Scottish popular children's songs with Alison Bell, storytelling with Heather Yule and the trying of instruments - Irish harp with Lynn Saoirse and the bodhran with Kim McKee. The junior high and high school students attended a full concert with other lead artists including Irish master fiddler, Seamus Connolly, accompanied by singer, instrumentalist, Kevin McElroy. The concert's second half featured the amazing duo of Maire Ni Chathasaigh, Irish harper and her English partner, guitarist Chris Newman. Students were encouraged to stay after the concert to meet the artists, and, on the following day, free instruction was offered in harp, guitar, singing and bodhran for interested students..

This year we have a Scottish university band, the Ceilidh Peppers, coming to perform a Celtic rock concert in all the schools and for the general public Saturday afternoon in La Veta Park. This ten piece band plays a variety of instruments – Highland and Border pipes, fiddles, accordion, keyboard, guitars, bodhran, and full percussion. They even have two Highland dancers among them. Since this year's Scottish concert theme is the music, songs and stories of turn of the century mining communities in Scotland and southern Colorado, the "Girls Night Out" will be joining the band to give the students a taste of mining songs of the period.

Besides a concert, the elementary grade children will again have involvement sessions, this time all on the mining theme. These include mining stories and poems, creative drama, and the Scottish and American folk dances of the period.

Photographs of last year's programs

Irish harper, Maire Ni Chathasaigh, and her partner, British guitarist, Chris Newman, perform at the schools.

Scottish dancing was well received by all participants.

An Irish Concert was presented by harper Maire Ni Chathasaigh, fiddler Seamus Connally, mandolin player Kevin McElroy, and guitarist Chris Newman.

Children join the rhythm of Ken Willson's music.

A bodhran lesson led by Kim McKee. Pizza boxes are good substitutes for the Irish drum.

Irish harper Lynn Saoirse explains her instrument to her young audience.