Celtic Classic

The tents are up,

The stages are set,

The beer taps are ready,

and the port-o-johns are lined up.

The 24^th Celtic Classic begins tonight in downtown Bethlehem.

Monocacy Creek

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As I walked along the Monocacy Creek this week I was reminded how lucky we are to have a beautiful creek run through the center of town.

Johnston Park a “nature preserve is located in a former 18th-century industrial region and is a popular spot for taking a break from the city and enjoying restored natural vistas.”


The dam is soon to be removed to reduce the chance of flooding.

Local mallard residents.

Along Lehigh Avenue with new Moravian College dormitories in the background.

Trout fishing begins April 3.

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More information about the Monocacy as well as maps and guides can be found at the Monocacy Creek Watershed Association website.

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Bethlehem

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A rainy day at Bethlehem’s City Center Plaza.

Magnolia buds anticipate spring.

A bird’s nest sits vacant.

The advent candles and children’s tree stand alone in the cold drizzle.

But light seems to shine on the Crèche -- even on a rainy day.
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(See the list of “Things To Do” for the holiday season at Christmas City Organization’s site.)

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Earth Day

Bethlehem Area School District Earth Day Celebration at the city ice rink was a hit with approximately 3,000 elementary school children. The April 22 to 25 program was chocked full of educational displays and information.

City Recycling Center’s information “Why We Recycle” and how long waste remains in the landfill amazed the adults as well as the kids.

Liberty High School’s display of a littered campsite showed the mess that could be left behind by campers.

Freedom High School’s “Global Warming” display came complete with a jeopardy game and a lot of hoots and hollers.

An interest in “Snakes, Frogs, Toads ‘n Bats” was sparked by Penn State Master Gardeners. Facts abounded, such as: “bats can eat up to 600 mosquitoes an hour” and “88% of what a toad eats are critters that are harmful in the garden” and “snakes are meat eaters that keep mice and vole populations under control.”

Commercial displays included slide shows and examples of recycled products. The kids went home with a seedling tree to plant as well as other environmentally themed school supplies. A worthwhile day of information, thanks to BASD and all the hard-working volunteers.

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Celtic Classic

A weekend of fun, food, entertainment and competition happened in Bethlehem September 28, 29, 30. The 20th annual Celtic Classic was organized by the Celtic Cultural Alliance. http://www.celticfest.org/

Celtic Classic Invitational Pipe Band and Drum Major Competitions included 10 bands from northeast US and Canada. Third Place Grade 3 MacMillan Pipe Band from Rockville, MD as well as the other competing pipe bands marched down Main Street. A few local bands also contributed to a musically colorful parade. Pipe band competitions were held behind Moravian South Campus soon to be used for a new dorm building for the college.

US National Highland Championships – according to the Celtic Classic publication:

“This is Celtic Classic’s third year of hosting the official U.S. National Highland Athletic Championships and our 20th year of witnessing many World Records being set on our Highland Fields!”

The history and rules of these competitions can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_games#Heavy_Events As always, the Caber Championships drew a large crowd on Saturday. Local favorite Harrison Bailey III from Easton put on a great show to the delight of a cheering crowd.

Celtic education and culture were on display in the Ring of Celtic Heritage and included Celtic Quest –

“Celtic Quest is a journey to the Seven Celtic Nations. Upon arriving at the Celtic Classic, children (or the young at heart) can receive a free Celtic Quest passport at each Celtic Nation Station throughout the Celtic Classic grounds. The Quest takes the passport bearer to all seven of the Celtic Nation Stations, where demonstrations, craft projects and displays will be set up to entertain and educate children, and adults alike, about the seven Celtic Nations.”

Tom Slattery an Irish-experience storyteller charmed the crowd and passed out information on the CCC Celt Collection Library at Bucks County Community College http://www.ccccelt.org/ Several Clans presented history of their clan. Representing Brittany, Cornwall, Ireland, Isle of Man, Scotland and Wales, Celtic garb, jewelry, signs and memorabilia were on sale everywhere. Highland dancers, step dancers and traditional as well as modern musicians performed on every stage.

There were few complaints for such a large festival. The Celtic singing competition was held across the Monocacy Creek from the main Grand Pavilion. It was almost impossible to hear the singers as the music from the Pavilion stage overpowered the vocals. Due to the large crowd on Saturday, lines were long at ticket booths and at most food vendors. The fiddle competition at the Ice House was at capacity Saturday and Sunday and no one else could be admitted. And, the results of the competitions were not published until this morning and don’t include the results of the individual athletic events.

All in all, Celtic Classic is a wonderful and family-friendly festival. The weekend was a reminder of what a beautiful city we live in - from the quaint main street to the view near the Lehigh River photographed on the way to the volunteer parking area.

Bethlehem

As preparations continue for Celtic Cultural Alliance's Celtic Classic September 28 - 30, the marigolds got a trim by the Arts Quest's Blumenplatz committee. The plants are donated by Dan Schantz Greenhouse. The flowered sign is located at the northern end of the Fahy bridge below Payrow Plaza city center.

The 20th Annual Celtic Classic features Highland Games, music, food, crafts, a parade and musical competitions for a fun-filled weekend festival.

http://www.celticfest.org/2007CelticClassic/index.html

Community Gardens

Bethlehem’s community gardens

The Garden of Serenity maintained by the Bethlehem Garden Club was a 2006 recipient of the Suburban Greening Award by the Philadelphia Horticultural Society. (see April 21, 2007 post) It is a peaceful oasis in the city with a place to sit and enjoy the garden.

Miller House Garden is also maintained by the Bethlehem Garden Club. (see April 21, 2007 post) Full of 18th century plants, this garden offers a view of what might have grown in a colonial garden. The plants, from roses to lavender to tomatoes and thyme, fill a walk through this little plot with delightful nostalgia.

Musikfest’s Blumenplatz, is planned, planted and cared for by members of the Blumenplatz committee. Starting in May until the middle of August, the garden illustrates the dazzling fun of Musikfest. This colorful garden was also a 2006 recipient of the Suburban Greening Award by the Philadelphia Horticultural Society.

As you stroll around Musikfest (August 3-12, 2007) stop to look at the community gardens in Bethlehem. Blumenplatz and The Garden of Serenity are located near Americaplatz in Bethlehem’s City Center near the Public Library. The Miller House Garden is located behind Volksplatz in the Colonial Industrial Quarter.

Spring

Spring really started in earnest this weekend. Mild temperatures allowed me to continue garden clean up. There are still leaves and other winter debris in all corners. I'm trying to work one section at a time - and not go into a total frenzy. I finished about 1/4 of the garden cleanup and about 1/2 of the mulching so far. I haven't even begun to divide or move plants.

Volunteers are ready to rock & roll in the community gardens. Blumenplatz is Bethlehem's Musikfest garden located behind the public library. (The Star of Bethlehem represented in dusty miller is pictured here after initial planting in 2005.) Work on the garden began this week with fence scraping and primer paint. The new color will be hunter green.

Bethlehm's sister city is Tondabayashi, Japan. Bethlehem Garden Club is responsible for maintenance of the "Garden of Serenity" (located next to the library). Mr. and Mrs. Fenninger and Yoshinaga Sakon, one of Japan's outstanding landscape architects, created a tea house and garden in 1971. Spring maintenance begins this week.

Bethlehem Garden Club is also responsible for The Miller's House Garden located in the Industrial Quarter of Historic Bethlehem. This Colonial to Victorian age garden includes old time roses and kitchen garden herbs and vegetables as well as other period flowering plants and shrubs.

Happy Spring! Get out the liniment.