During a long winter, we all look for harbingers of Spring. Growing up in the northeast, I remember my Grandmother calling us when she saw her first robin or the day we received the Burpee Seed catalog and could start planning our vegetable garden (sans bugs and weeding, of course). For the last few years though, those has been replaced by the arrival of the Swannanoa Gathering catalog. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Gathering, and I’m already signed up. For me, it is the best summer vacation possible (short of a week in Ireland) – full immersion into Irish tunes, song, and dance for a week in July. Because it is up in the mountains near Asheville, NC, it has traditionally been a nice break from the blistering summer heat of Central Virginia. Fantastic instructors, pot luck sessions, good food, and two instructor concerts that are among the best showcases of Irish musicians gathered together in one place (and with John Skelton as MC, lots of laughs as well!). Sleep is the only thing lacking during the week!

But Swannanoa isn’t the only option available in the States. Here are some links to SwannyG and several others that are also well known.

Swannanoa Gathering
Augusta Heritage
Catskills Irish Arts Week
Mountain Road Fiddle Camp

Hope you can find the time to go to one of them. We found it to be a great getaway and a wonderful family activity.