Scottish bagpipe marches and rollicking Irish pub tunes will fill Rock Island’s Riverfront Grille Saturday, July 16 as part of the second annual Celtic Night Out sponsored by the Scottish American Society of the Quad Cities.

Doors open at 6 pm for the event, which features musical performances by the Black Hawk Pipes and Drums of the Quad Cities, and rollicking Irish music by the east-central Iowa band, Blame Not the Bard. Admission at the door is $30, and includes generous appetizers, haggis, and all entertainment. The event is open to the public, with cash, check, or credit accepted at the door.  Riverfront Grille is located at 4619 34th Street, Rock Island. Seating is available on the enclosed patio and outside, along the scenic Rock River.

Fans of traditional bagpipes will enjoy two short sets by the Black Hawk Pipes and Drums, which began in 2000 with initial sponsorship from the Scottish-American Society. The independent, non-competition band is always a welcome attraction at Scottish Society events, and can also be seen at parades, concerts, and other special events. Their music includes traditional Scottish bagpipe marches, as well as reels, jigs, hornpipes, strathspeys, and slow airs.

Armed with Irish song, stories, and fiddling, Blame Not the Bard brings high-energy Irish pub songs and stories designed to get feet moving and hands clapping. This is one of their first appearance in the Illinois Quad Cities.

Blame Not the Bard was formed in 2015 in east-central Iowa, and includes Andrew Philbrick (banjo, bass, lead vocals), Nikki Philbrick (fiddle, mandolin, and vocals), Corey Baker (guitar, foot percussion, and vocals.) Described as “Iowa Raised, Ireland Rooted,” Blame Not the Bard has journeyed throughout Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and South Dakota to bring the stories of Ireland to hundreds of audiences large and small. Their live performances have led to praise from The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, an Artist Direct profile on KDEC FM100.5, an artist feature in the 2017 Iowa Irish Festival Program Guide and a 2022 Iowa PBS feature on the program Greetings from Iowa.

The Celtic Night Out event is open to the public. Scottish American Society is not required, so come out for a taste of Scottish and Irish song, story, and fun! For more details, or to pay online before the event, visit the Scottish American Society website at www.sasqc.com.

Formed nearly 50 years ago, the Scottish American Society of the Quad Cities is a membership-based group for anyone with an interest in Scotland, Scottish heritage, culture, or history. Scottish heritage is not required to join. Annual activities include hosting the Robert Burns dinner, celebrating Scottish holidays, such as Tartan Day, Beltane, and Samhain, hosting trips, golf outings, and other celebrations of Scottish culture. The group is sponsoring a trip to Scotland and Ireland in September 2022. For more details, visit the SAS website.