Last September, on a hot fall day, more than 500 Valley residents turned up (many of them in kilts) for the biennial Bagpipes and Bonfires event, hosted by the Episcopal Church of the Ascension. The festivities were kicked off with a prayer and proclamation, followed by a huge bonfire and members of the Brian Boru Irish Pipe Band performing. Additional activities included a wine toss game, kilt contest, animals, pub food, specialty cheese from Wedge and Wheel, beer, a drawing for tickets to Ireland and lots of blues music. Throughout the course of the event, Katie Keller, one of the event organizer’s, says, “More than five kegs of Lift Bridge Beer were consumed, along with 260 homemade steak and Guinness pies, 306 Scotch eggs [and] 1,328 English sausage rolls.” The event raised money for the church.
Missed out on the festivities? Never fear, the event will return in 2019.
