The Wyoming Celtic Festival 2009

We left Buffalo heading towards Gillette and the layout of the land changed almost immediately. The roadsides appeared to be littered by ginormous black/red volcanic rock which really stood out against the green grasses. Then we began seeing lots of very large dunes, many of which looked like pyramids.

This was the beginning of the 2009 Wyoming Celtic Festival with many of the competitors coming together for prayer.

One of my favorite types of music - drums and bagpipes!
Some of the participants and vendors...

Let the games begin which consisted of: 1) Stone Put; 2) Braemar Stone Put; 3) Open Stone Put; 4) 56 lb. for Distance; 5) 56 lb. Weight for Height; 6) 28 lb. for Distance; 7) Scottish Hammer; 8) Sheaf Toss; and 9) Caber Toss.

My favorite to watch were the Scottish Hammer where a skirted man winds a very LARGE, LONG hammer over his head and releases it over the shoulder withoug moving his feet.

This is one of the women competitors, named Becky, who we met that morning. She used to be a school teacher, but now is in construction.

Just what you see every day...a guy in a kilt standing next to his 4 wheel drive pickup truck. (I kept waiting for the wind to blow his kilt up).

The "fairies" who were passing out "wishing stones" from their little pouches. Joe and I each got one.

Some of the fantastic bands that entertained us. The group above is Gobs O' Phun who plays fun and traditional folk songs of Ireland and Scotland. Below is Seven Nations who took its name from the seven Celtic Nations. They played at the Torch Lighting ceremony at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. They were incredibly great!!!

Isn't this guy great in his costume?!? He's from South Dakota and also does re-enactments fo General George Custer.