Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate the Autumnal Equinox and the 6th Annual Festival of the Mabon. From the authentically inspired energy of the West African Highlife Ensemble all the way to the Scottish dance grooves of Shooglenifty it was another magical fall day on the Planet. Mark your calendars now for next year - September 22, 2007...

The Mabon

We call it MAY'-bahn. The Autumnal Equinox. Myrrh and Sage. Acorns, gourds, and pumpkins. Celtic fiddles, Scottish bagpipes, and African drums. One last weekend of song, dance, and festivation.

Six years ago we gathered our friends in Lyons for a small celebration. A simplified festivarian experience concentrated into one enchanting day of music, camping, and dancing. Our friends invited their friends, and our long quiet month on the Ranch was briefly and delicately interrupted.

Over the years that tradition has grown. But the spirit remains the same - a day-long celebration of autumn for our festivarian friends in Lyons and beyond. To celebrate the magical time when the day and the night are divided equally. To prepare for the coming months of rest, relaxation, and reflection. To store up enough festivarian love to survive the long, lonely winter.

Music of the Mabon

The haunting drones of the bagpipe finally find their rightful place on the hillside after a summer of morning call-to-the-tarps. This year we welcome an eclectic international collection of bands to the Mabon stage - check out the full festival schedule...

Canada's acoustic quintet The Duhks made their spirited Planet Bluegrass debut at Folks Fest several years ago. They bring a twenty-something energy to a repertiore of old-time, folk, and Americana - check out their acoustic cover of Love is the Seventh Wave.

Scotland's Shooglenifty has been at the center of that country's innovative acid-croft scene - combining traditional fiddle tunes with modern dance grooves using acoustic instruments. We've been hearing reports of their hyperactive live shows for years and are excited to welcome them on their first visit to Colorado.

Leading the Friday night Ceili dance and performing on the main stage on Saturday is Irish button accordion player Johnny B. Connolly and his band Bridgetown. Celtic band Tornaod - who marry 1970's prog rock with fantastical Celtic roots - will be making the trip to Mabon from Brittany, France along with special guest Beth Patterson from New Orleans.

Meanwhile, Toubab Krewe masterfully fuses West African and "Dirty South" influences into a rhythmic, danceable feast. CU's West African Highlife Ensemble brings their high energy, tightly knit traditional, neo-traditional, and highlife dance music from Ghana to the Mabon stage.

The Magic of Mabon

All weekend-long the historic Planet Bluegrass Ranch is transformed into a Celtic wonderland. Mingle with festivarians in kilts and medieval festivarians in period garb. Bagpipe bands wander the grounds next to fairies and an authentic Irish Gypsy Wagon pulled by Irish Cob horses.

The Wildflower Tent hosts free workshops all weekend, including a "How to Play the Bodhran (Irish Drum)," a Mabon magic show for kids of all ages, and other musical demonstrations. Hand-crafted artisans show their wares next to grourmet harvest delicacies.

The Friday evening before the festival, September 22, we'll again celebrate the official Autumnal Equinox with a traditional Irish Ceili - barn dance. Pack up your fall camping gear and an instrument or two, and join us for an entire weekend of Mabon enchantment.

Tickets and camping for the 2007 Festival of the Mabon will go on sale on Wednesday, December 6, 2006. Be sure you're signed up for the Planet Bluegrass Newsletter to receive all the latest news about the 2007 festivals including Festival of the Mabon.