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Lorie Ann McReynolds
This past weekend was the 30th annual Upper East Tennessee Celtic Festival. It was a two-day event, and it was amazing! Even with the threat of rain on Sunday, we still had close to 1,800 people come through the gate. My fiancé and I set up a vendor booth to sell his books and promote my new book (which will be available soon.) We would take turns manning the booth while enjoying the exciting events. The music of the Cross Jacks and the Real Blarney Stoners was extraordinary. Both are uniquely different in musical styles but equally entertaining. However, my favorite was the Drum and Bagpipes from Knoxville. There is just something about listening to bagpipes in the open outdoors that is special. My favorite song they played: Amazing Grace.

The Official Highlands games were also being held there. The competition was exciting. Everblades Academy had rivalries where you could sign up and compete against a fellow warrior. But my favorite game was the tug of war. They involved everyone — young and old. The kids battled against one of their members, and even though he had a good fight, the kids won. Our son participated in it and had a blast! The food was so good, especially the BBQ chicken and the ice cream.

We made some friends from the vendor booth beside us. I enjoyed talking with Jessie and her mom, Brenda. Jessie is visually impaired, but she doesn’t let that stop her. She is very crafty and does all sorts of things, such as making jewelry, sewing, teaching herself to play the guitar, and even writing! And she makes the most beautiful bracelets and scarves. But most of all, I enjoyed spending the weekend with my sweetheart and listening to him discuss his books with the customers. We had several, and we sold several books. It was a fun day; if you get the chance, follow us on Facebook to catch the next event!