In 1966, the City of Saline, Michigan entered into a Sister City relationship with the city of Brecon, Wales.  Far from being a nominal relationship simply entitling the cities to post signs at the edge of town, much spirited interaction has taken place over the years: mayor and council visits, school writing projects, countless newspaper articles. The residents of the City of Saline have always had an interest in culture and arts, and this interest has been well-fed by the relationship with Brecon.

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Beginning in 1996, as part of the celebration of thirty years as the Sister City of Brecon, Wales, the City of Saline created the Saline Celtic Festival.  An enormous (and unexpected) amount of interest in repeating the festival in subsequent years caused it to blossom and grow into a significant event in the world of culture and music education, performances and exhibitions, as well as a well-recognized destination for those interested in other cultural aspects such as dance, theater, storytelling, and sporting events. 

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Each year more than 350 local volunteers contribute hundreds of hours over the course of a year planning and implementing the festival (see below). There is no paid administrative staff and no city tax dollars are spent on the Festival.