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The Appalachian Highlands Celts will host the annual Upper East Tennessee Celtic Festival, beginning Friday, August 30 at the Tipton Haynes State Historic Site, 2620 S. Roan St., Johnson City.

The festival will begin Friday at 7 p.m. with the gathering of the clans and a small reception afterward. The main festival activity will be held on Saturday, August 31, with the officially judged Highland games hosted by Southeastern Highland Athletics Group (S.H.A.G.). 

Highland games begin at 8 a.m. and festival vendors will open at 10 a.m. The festival will include local artisans, including but not limited to woodworking, jewelry making, and blacksmithing, as well as food vendors. 

Sunday, September 1, the festival will begin at 10 a.m. There will be sword play and highland game workshops the entire day as well as a very special performance by Everblade Academy. There will be guest speakers this year on both August 31 and September 1 giving presentations on Celtic history. Saturday and Sunday will feature live music. The weekend will also feature a great lineup of Celtic bands as well as the Knoxville Pipe and Drum.