Maine Celtic Festival wraps up with National Cheese Roll Championships
BELFAST, Maine (WABI) – The Maine Celtic Festival returned to Belfast this weekend, making for another year of the National Cheese Roll Championships!
Groups of 10 are split up by gender and age, then face off head-to-head to grab a cheese disc as it rolls down the Belfast Common hill.
While it may seem simple, it isn’t the easiest feat. Participants must try to run down the hill, avoid crashing into opponents, and ultimately get and hold onto the cheese wheel.
”Well, as I understand it, the cheese roll actually started in Scotland but I’m not the subject matter expert,” says volunteer coordinator Charles Kelliher about the event’s origins. “And like many of the traditions of the immigrants who came to the United States, they brought the tradition of the cheese roll with them.”
As for the contemporary reception and participation in the Cheese Roll, Kelliher describes it as “At times, it’s amazing how this activity causes mature adults to act foolishly or even immature, but it’s enjoyable for the spectators.”
Beyond the Cheese Roll, Maine Celtic Festival closed out the weekend with live music, great selection of food, and activities for all ages.
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