July 10 & 11, 2026
Workshops & Sessions
Michigan Celtic hosts a variety of music and dance workshops on Friday night and throughout the day on Saturday Festival weekend. Workshops include Tin Whistle, Sea Shanty Singing, Bodhran Drum, Fiddle, Step Dancing, Contra Dancing, Ceili Dance, and "Try An Instrument" Workshops. They're led by local experts in their fields, and are open to beginner through advanced-level participants! Try one or many, and bring your own instruments to learn more about how they work.
We also have traditional music and dance performances by many of our workshop leaders and amazing music and dance troupes!
2025 Workshops & Performances
Workshops will be in various locations around the festival beginning at 6:00pm - please plan to arrive at 5:45 P.M so you can get to your workshop on time!
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Friday Night:
6:00 pm
Bodhran Drum - led by Tristan Pruss - Session Tent
(Bring your own drum or use our “pizza box” drum.)
Tin Whistle Workshop - led by Laura Romaine - Alcove C-D
(Whistles available for purchase.)
Fiddle Workshop - led by Dan D'Introno - Alcove E-F
Ottawa Valley Step Dance Performance & Workshop - Explorers Home School Group - Dublin Stage
​7:15 pm
Sein Ceili Irish Dance - Dublin Stage
7:30 pm
Irish Céilí Dancing led by Liz Heinzman and music by Laura Romaine and Dan D'Introno - Building G
Traditional Music Session led by Detroit Irish Music Association - Session Tent
Saturday:
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10:30 am
Irish Guitar Workshop - led by Bear Whitmer - Session Tent
11:30 am
Saline Fiddlers - Dublin Stage
Tin Whistle Workshop - led by Tristan Pruss - Session Tent
(Whistles available for purchase.)
12:30 pm
Ardan Irish Dance Performance - Dublin Stage
Accordian Workshop led by Ian McKimmy - Dublin Stage
1:30 pm
Traditional Music Session led by Shannon Lee - Session Tent
Irish Céilí Dancing led by Liz Heinzman - Dublin Stage
2:00 pm
Try an Instrument Petting Zoo hosted by Detroit Irish Music Association - Alcove C-D
2:30 pm
Motor City Irish Dance Performance & Workshop - Dublin Stage
3:30pm
CommonWealth Dance Collective Performance & Workshop - Dublin Stage
Uilleann Piping by Purcell Irish Pipers of Detroit - Session Tent
4:30 pm
Fiddle Workshop led by Hannah Harris - Session Tent
5:00 pm
Sea Shanty Sing-Along led by Banjo Betsy and Friends - Dublin Stage
5:30 pm
Celtic Singing & Music Workshop led by Roane - Session Tent
6:00 pm
Leim Irish Dance Performance & Workshop - Dublin Stage
We couldn't do it without them.
AACTMAD is the Ann Arbor Community for Traditional Music and Dance, a nonprofit participatory membership organization that enriches people's lives and sense of community through traditional music, dance, song, and related arts.
As a longtime supporter of the workshops offered at the festival, they have provided funding, advice, encouragement and many folks who share their passion and wisdom at the workshops.
The Detroit Irish Music Association (DIMA) is a non-profit organization, dedicated to preserving and promoting traditional Irish music and culture in Southeast Michigan. Since 2010, it has proudly been based at the Green Wood Center, on Ann Arbor's east side.
DIMA has long supported and nurtured the Workshops at the festival as well as several generations of traditional musicians in the Detroit area, going back to the 1970's.
Thank you!
