The Australian Celtic Festival

About The Festival

The Australian Celtic Festival is held over four days during the first week of May each year, with the next festival taking place from 30th April - 3rd May 2026.

Renowned as the premier Celtic event of New South Wales, it is the only festival in Australia to recognise different Celtic nations each year and has the unique atmosphere of being located at the Australian Standing Stones National Celtic Monument in Glen Innes.

In 2026, the festival will celebrate its 34th year and highlight the Celtic nation of Scotland alongside the rich traditions of Ireland, Isle of Man, Wales, Cornwall & Brittany.

In addition to a craicing good lineup of national and international music artists, the annual program includes pipe bands, dancers, markets, food and beverage stalls, competitions, official ceremonies, live-action performances and re-enactment groups, children’s entertainment, a host of fringe events around the region, and so much more!

Set in the New England High Country of Northern NSW, 4.5 hours’ drive from Brisbane and 7 hours from Sydney, vibrant autumn colours provide a picturesque backdrop for exploring and savouring the beauty of Glen Innes Highlands.

Origins of the Festival

In 1992, a group of passionate Glen Innes Highlands locals organised the very first Australian Celtic Festival at the Australian Standing Stones at the Centennial Parklands, Glen Innes, NSW.

The Australian Standing Stones were inaugurated in February 1992, born out of the town’s strong connection with its Celtic heritage of Scottish pastoralists and Cornish and Welsh miners. The idea of the festival originated for the promotion of the Stones.

1992 saw the first festival held over the first weekend in May and has continued annually at this date ever since. The date chosen was influenced by the region’s spectacular autumn colours and being historically a period of clear weather.

The festival fills the Centennial Parklands with a celebration of Celtic culture, arts, history, music and dance, bringing the whole area to life.

The Venue

The Australian Standing Stones hold a significant connection with Celtic people past and present. Erected in 1992 to acknowledge the contributions to Australia made by settlers and descendants from the Celtic homelands to our nation’s culture, these stones form a calendar, not unlike the stones raised by the Celtic ancestors to mark the changing of seasons and position of the Sun.

Throughout the world stone circles are shrouded in mystery and wonder. Although we know the origin story for the Australian Standings Stones, after over three decades they have formed their own traditions and mystique and are the perfect setting for Celtic ceremony and celebration.

The site at Centennial Parklands, Glen Innes also houses Crofters Cottage, a tribute to ‘taigh dubh’ (black houses) operating as a cafe, and our very own Excalibur sword. You will also find the Celtic Family Wall with stones from Celtic homelands donated by individuals, families, clans and societies along with other sites of cultural significance including Tynwald Hill overlooking the monument, and the Hill of Tara at the northern side.

Events Around Town

Over the years, great additions and innovations have been made to the festival, such as the colourful Grey Street Parade in town, the Celtic Cultural Awards, Highland Games and competitions, and re-enactment camps at the festival site.

The festival has grown from a few hundred attendees in its first year to attract over 6,000 attendees from across Australia and overseas.

Many businesses in the region get involved by hosting their own independent events during the festival, offering additional experiences for visitors and locals. The town also comes to life with Celtic-themed window displays in local stores and menus in many of the local eateries, showcasing the amazing community spirit that exists in this small regional town with a big heart.

View The Program

Festival Cycles

The Australian Celtic Festival operates on a three-year cycle recognising six Celtic nations.

2026: Scotland is a strong nation with a proud history and very popular with Australian Celtic Festival attendees as a unique theme. Our town is named after Major Archibald Innes, born in Scotland. With all the cultural colour and spectacle and strong connections to the local district, Scotland is celebrated a standalone nation.

2027: Ireland & The Isle of Man share cultural similarities and heritage in having Gaelic languages and traditions. While the nations will be combined, the festival will ensure that all honoured nations are celebrated through ceremonies, performer selection themes and gourmet food.

2028: Brittany, Cornwall & Wales share in common their related Brythonic languages and rich Arthurian legend. They are the Celts of western Britain, and from across the channel in Brittany. All three homelands share a bond in holding national Eisteddfod festivals.

Other nations of course have Celtic history and the Australian Celtic Festival recognises all of Australia's Celtic heritage within this cyclic format.

Experience the colour of costume, sound of music, and movement of dance across a weekend like no other!

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Acknowledgement of Country

The Australian Celtic Festival is held in Glen Innes Highlands, Ngarabul Country.

Glen Innes Severn Council acknowledges and pays respect to the Ngarabul people as the traditional custodians of this land, their elders past, present and emerging, and to Torres Strait Islander people and all First Nations people.