The haunting wail of the Highland pipes, the thunder of drums and the whirl of dancers will once again fill the sprawling lawns of Old Westbury Gardens when the Long Island Celtic Festival and Highland Games returns Saturday, Aug. 23. Among the lineup of musicians is internationally touring bagpiper Jesse Ofgang, whose journey to the stage began not with his own choice, but with his mother’s insistence.
“You know, it’s funny, I get asked a lot why I chose the bagpipes,” Ofgang said. “The truth is, I didn’t — my mother did. I tried piano, I hated violin and finally, she decided I’d learn bagpipes. I just got extremely lucky that 20 minutes from where I grew up in Connecticut was this amazing Scottish piper, Tommy Shearer. He was an incredible teacher and changed my life.”
The festival, running from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., celebrates Celtic traditions old and new. Formerly the Scottish Games, it features Highland athletics from the Empire Throwing Club, performances by Harpers Ferry, McLean Avenue Band, Charlie Zahm and Ofgang with his group, The Diaspora. Visitors can browse a Celtic marketplace, enjoy traditional and contemporary dance, try their hand at curling and sample fare from a bustling food truck court.
For Ofgang, a master’s graduate in Scottish music and Highland piping from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the Old Westbury stage is familiar ground. “I used to play here every year with my family’s band, MacTalla Mor,” he said. “We haven’t performed together in about 15 years, but people still remember us. Old Westbury Gardens has always been such a beautiful place for a festival.”
Ofgang’s repertoire goes far beyond the Highland pipes. He also plays Irish uilleann pipes, Scottish smallpipes, border pipes, whistles and flute, blending these traditions with influences from his undergraduate training in jazz percussion. “Even though my music is rooted in traditional Scottish and Irish, it’s more modern and influenced by other styles than a lot of players,” he said.
That fusion will be on full display at the festival. “It’s going to be very high energy,” Ofgang said. “My drummer is a phenomenal jazz musician who’s toured with Jean-Luc Ponty and Lisa Fischer. Our organist plays with Ritchie Blackmore’s band and my guitarist is steeped in traditional Celtic styles. It’s this mix of jazz fusion, rock and tradition that excites audiences.”
The event also holds a deeper connection for Ofgang, whose own heritage is a blend of Irish, Scottish and Jewish roots. “My dad’s a Brooklyn Jew, my mom’s Irish Catholic from the Bronx. That’s where the name ‘The Diaspora’ comes from — the Scottish and Irish diaspora, but also the Jewish diaspora. It’s a reflection of my family’s story,” he said.
From local gigs to international festivals, Ofgang’s career has taken him far from his first lesson with Shearer. This month, he’s performing at Festival Interceltique de Lorient in France, one of the largest Celtic music festivals in the world. “It’s honestly a dream come true,” Ofgang said. “All the bands I listened to growing up are here. To be on that stage, it’s a huge honor.”
The Long Island Celtic Festival is a tradition Ofgang hopes will continue to grow. “I’m so happy it’s back,” he said. “I know it was on hiatus for a bit, but it’s such a great place for it. I can’t wait to get everybody up dancing.”
Festival President and CEO Maura Brush said that sense of connection is what makes the day special. “Families have been coming to Old Westbury Gardens for years for what was the Scottish Games,” Brush said. “Now, in our second year as the Long Island Celtic Festival, that same spirit is alive. The music, the games, the food, the dancing, the togetherness — it’s all here.”
If You Go
The Long Island Celtic Festival and Highland Games takes place Saturday, Aug. 23, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Old Westbury Gardens, 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury.
Early-bird tickets (available through Aug. 22) are $25 for adults, $22 for seniors 62 and older, $12 for youth ages 7–17 and free for children 6 and younger. Day-of admission is $27 for adults and $24 for seniors; youth and children’s prices remain the same. Tickets include admission to Old Westbury Gardens.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.oldwestburygardens.org/celtic-festival.
