The best things to eat and drink at Dayton Celtic Fest this weekend

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

The annual Celtic Festival returns to downtown Dayton this weekend. The attraction of the music and dancing is rivaled only by the food and beverage options. Here’s a complete look at what food and beverages you’ll find at the festival.

>> PHOTOS: Celtic Festival Ohio 2018

A full weekend of food, entertainment, music and vendors took over Riverscape MetroPark in downtown Dayton during the 2018 Dayton Celtic Festival, July 27-29. STAFF FILE PHOTO

Credit: HANDOUT

icon to expand image

Credit: HANDOUT

🍽️WHAT TO EAT

Traditional Irish and Scottish fare is available, including several fish and chips vendors. Standard festival fare including fries, elephant ears, Belgian waffles, burgers, sausage and caramel corn will be available. Amish pretzels and grilled turkey legs, in addition to Asian and Cajun fare, will also be served. For those looking for healthier items, grilled salmon, chicken and portabella mushrooms are also available.

The following food vendors will be on the festival grounds:

• Highland Glenn

• The Chicken Smells Good

• Cajun Specialties

• Brock Masterson's

• Blackjack Grill

• Bessie Noodles

• Ol' Bag O Nails

• The Almond Shop

• Cork & Bottle

• Cheesecake on a Stick

• Dublin Pub

• Ritters

• Claddaughs' Pub

• Scottish Cottage

• Dobo's

• Belgium Waffles (Rismiller)

• Dee's Chicken and Fish

• Hamburger Wagon

• Amish Bakery

• Kettle Corn

>> PHOTOS: 2017 Dayton Celtic Fest

Celtic music and dance, beer and food are the stars of one of Dayton's signature festivals of summer at Dayton Celtic Fest on Sunday, July 30, 2017. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS BY E.L. HUBBARD

Credit: E.L. Hubbard

icon to expand image

Credit: E.L. Hubbard

🍺WHAT TO DRINK: BEER TASTINGS

All alcoholic beverages cost 6 tickets each ($1 per ticket).

The following draft beers will be available for purchase (descriptions provided by the Dayton Celtic Festival): 

• Celtic Fest Red Ale by Breckenridge Brewery: A well-rounded amber ale brewed with pale, chocolate and caramel malts and a hint of bittering hops. Mildly sweet and easy drink, this beer is meant to be enjoyed while attending The Dayton Celtic Festival. Slainté! 5% ABV 19 IBU 

• Bud Light: American style light lager; golden in color with delicate aromas of malt and hops with a fast, clean finish. 4.2% ABV 6 IBU

• Murphy's Irish Stout: Irish dry stout, dark in color and medium-bodied. Silk smooth with toffee and coffee undertones with little to no bitterness. 4% ABV 34 IBU 

• Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Cider: Has a bright, crisp apple flavor, just like biting into a fresh apple. It is a perfect balance of sweetness and bright acidity from culinary apples and dryness or traditional cider making apples, resulting in a complex, yet refreshing, hard cider. 5% ABV

• Boddington's Pub Ale: Dark, golden-colored ale with aromas of fruits and bananas, rich malts and earthy hops. The taste is slightly sweet and crisp, balanced with a classic English hop finish. 4.6% ABV 26 IBU

• Magner's Irish Cider: The one and only vintage Irish cider; produced with specially grown apples that give this outstanding hard cider extra-full apple flavors and a crisp, fruity finish. Made with 17 different varieties of fallen apple, pressed and then kept in the dark to mature for a couple of years, it is the crispest way to celebrate any moment. 4.5% ABV

• Devils Backbone Vienna Lager: With its amber chestnut colored good looks and smooth malty finish, Vienna Lager was an obvious choice to put into package. It blends color and flavor without heaviness or bitterness. Just as Vienna Lagers historically inspired Munich's Oktoberfest beers to evolve, this amber lager has evolved since we opened in 2008 into the award-winning beer it is today. Mild, Toasted, Caramel. 5.2% ABV 18 IBU

• Shock Top Belgian White: This spiced Belgian-style wheat ale is the pinnacle of refreshment brewed with real orange, lemon and lime peels for a smooth, citrusy finish. 5.2% ABV 10 IBU

• Mother Stewart's Wit: Brewed with raw wheat, oats and malted barley, this Belgian-style classic has a cloudy white appearance with a smooth, yet slightly tart and dry finish. Minimal hop additions are enhanced with late-addition coriander, orange peel and other spices, balancing this highly drinkable and refreshing ale. 5.2% ABV 12 IBU

• Rhinegeist Truth: An IPA brewed with a nod to the Pacific, hops sizzle with tropical fruit aroma, grapefruit and mango notes and a dry finish. 7.2% ABV 75 IBU

• Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat: Brewed with the perfect balance of wheat and crystal malts, Tangerine Wheat delivers a perfectly crisp finish for those hot summer days. It's got that classic Lost Coast wheat flavor, with a kick of citrus to help jump-start the party. 5.2% ABV 15 IBU • Belhaven Scottish Ale: 100% Scottish malt and finest English hops in perfect balance; smooth, rich and nutty; a classically crafted Scottish ale. 5% ABV 21 IBU

The 15th annual Dayton Celtic Festival celebrated sights and sounds of Ireland, Scotland and Wales, with a bevy of unique foods, beers and live music at Riverscape MetroPark, July 29-31. (TOM GILLIAM/CONTRIBUTED)

icon to expand image

🥤NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

Coke products (soft drinks, water and sports drinks) will be available for purchase. Non-alcoholic beverages are 2 tickets each ($1 per ticket).

🍷 WINE 

The following wines will be available for purchase: 

• Woodbridge Chardonnay

• Woodbridge Red Blend

New this year:

• White Claw Hard Seltzer in Black Cherry or Mango

🥃WHISKEY TASTINGS

Whiskey Tasting sessions will be held in the cultural area on Saturday (5 p.m. and 7 p.m.) and Sunday (2 p.m.).

These ticketed tastings are limited to 30 participants per session and are $20 per ticket. Tickets can be purchased at www.daytoncelticfestival.com through July 24 and at the festival an hour before each tasting. These led flight tastings include the following whiskeys:

• Tullamore D.E.W. Original

• Tullamore D.E.W. Cider Cask

• Tullamore D.E.W. XO Rum Cask

• Tullamore D.E.W. 12-Year

• Tullamore D.E.W. cocktail

>> 5 area bars that know their Scotch whisky

Celtic music and dance, beer and food are the stars of one of Dayton's signature festivals of summer at Dayton Celtic Fest on Sunday, July 30, 2017. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS BY E.L. HUBBARD

Credit: E.L. Hubbard

icon to expand image

Credit: E.L. Hubbard

CELTIC BREAKFAST
The Celtic Breakfast will be held Sunday morning at the Top of the Morn’n Café located in the Beer Garden across from the United Irish of Dayton Main Stage on Monument Ave. Breakfast will be available from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for a nominal fee, with proceeds benefiting the festival.

>> More than music: Dayton Celtic Fest adds a lot more Irish flavor

Want to go?

WHAT: Dayton Celtic Festival

WHEN: Friday, July 27, through Sunday, July 29. Hours are Friday from  5.30-11 p.m; Saturday from 11.30 – 11 p.m.; and Sunday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

WHERE: Riverscape MetroPark, 237 E. Monument Ave., Dayton

COST: Free entry

INFO: FacebookWebsite

About the Author