Summers on the waterfront in Bristol Borough are filled with festivals, concerts and First Fridays. On Sunday, the first cultural day of the season brought the wharf and park to life once again.
The 21st annual Celtic Day brought hundreds of people to the waterfront for food, vendors, Irish dancing and music.
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The event was put on by the Celtic Heritage Foundation. Mary McIlvain is the president of the group and has been involved with the group ever since it was introduced in 1996. Proceeds from the festival go towards the scholarships the foundation sponsors for students at Snyder-Girotti School, St. Mark Catholic School and Bristol High School.
Weather forecasts were uncertain leading up to the festival, but the day turned out perfect, event organizers said.
“I think the weather brought a lot of people out and I think a lot of people came to see the docks I think,” McIlvain said.
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Over the 20 years since it has been around, the heritage festival has gotten bigger over time. More people and vendors come out, assuming the weather holds, McIlvain joked.
The festival is a way to raise money, but it is also a way for people of Irish heritage to show their pride in their past.
“I’m really proud of my heritage, and I want to share it with everyone,” McIlvain said.
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Although she is a Bristol native and has lived in Bristol her whole life, McIlvain has traveled through Ireland, Scotland and Wales, she explained.
“I’m proud to be an American, but I’m also proud to be of Irish descent,” she said.
There are about 80 members in the Celtic Heritage Foundation. When it comes time to put together heritage days, there are a bunch of groups in the borough, and they will often work together in communication if one group is having trouble with a specific aspect of the day.
