A festival that swirls and skirls

LORIENT, France -- The most thrilling parade I ever saw went on for three hours and had 4,000 people in it. Colorfully costumed in traditional dress came thousands of pipers and bagpipers, drummers, dancers, singers, flag-bearers, and just plain citizens.

Dancers in tartans swirled and jumped, as did coiffed women and velvet-suited men, all in stiffly embroidered finery and lace. Some men were in gaiters and white pantaloons, and kilts were all about. Family groups in traditional costume, grouped by town, marched together with children and babies swathed in lace, accompanied by phalanxes of beautifully starched and embroidered grannies.

There were modern touches: Breton pipers dressed in green with hair dyed green to match. Eclecticism was there, too: One Breton group of bagpipers added a six-foot-long Australian aborigine trumpet.

There were amazements: Imagine a troop of beautiful young women with colorful swirling skirts and shawls, and bandannas wrapped around their heads, beating huge drums strapped to their chest; and another group of men and women dressed in ancient costumes of austere black and white motifs, all playing bagpipes.

It was The Grand Parade of the Celtic Nations on a bright Sunday morning in early August in Lorient on the south coast of Brittany. There were about 80 groups that marched, starting with the flag bearers of all the Celtic nations, and ending with this year's bagad (pipe band) champion group of Brittany. Every second marching group was a bagpipe ensemble (about 40 in all).

The Grand Parade makes the St. Patrick's Day parade in New York look small. The two-mile route is lined with loudspeakers that describe the passing marchers in French, but almost everyone speaks either Breton or English as well, and Welsh, Gaelic, and Spanish are heard all about. (The Welsh and the Bretons can understand each other easily, as they speak almost the same language.)

Later, on Sunday evening, all 3,000 bagpipers and dancers rush through the town together playing in the ``Triumph.''

The Festival Interceltique, which has been held for 27 years, goes on for 10 days, and people -- 300,000 every year -- come from all over the Celtic world: Scotland, Wales (and Anglesey), Cornwall, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Brittany, Flanders, Spanish Galicia and Asturias, and northern Italy (ancient Transalpine Gaul) send delegations. So far the Celts from western Turkey (ancient Galatia) have not shown up.

The ex-British Empire spread Celtic culture around the world, especially the bagpipe: Australia (famous for its bagpipers), New Zealand, Canada, and the United States participate in the festival. An American singing group that performed this year was named Clandestine. Camel-mounted bagpipers from Oman have been at the festival, and even Japanese bagpipers have been spotted.

The festival kicks off on a Friday night in the fishing port with a ``koateriad,'' a traditional meal centered on Breton fish stew for about 2,000 people outdoors at trestle tables. Conviviality is the keynote, and even if you come alone, you will find plenty of people to speak your language. Singers and musicians serenade in the streets.

Each year, one Celtic country is specially featured: In 1996 it was Ireland; in 1997, it was Wales. But all the countries send groups of dancers, singers, musicians, storytellers, writers, artists, instrument makers, language teachers, embroidery, lace, and costume experts. About 4,500 dancers, musicians, singers, and other artists and writers take part in the 200 events.

The event is filled with good will. The locals (who bring entire families) and shopkeepers treat everyone like one of the family. The festival is no crass commercial venture. There are 400 volunteers who work all year to set it up, and the festival just about pays for itself.

The events are so very well organized, so dispersed around the town at 12 halls and parks (even an old square-rigger moored in the marina is used for concerts) that there is room for everyone, and no crushing crowd scenes. There are virtually no brawls or drugs: The French security forces have an amiable but highly visible presence.

The festival is not only exhilarating but is a learning experience. You come away with new friends, a deeper understanding of European culture, and an admiration for the tremendous suppleness of the human spirit. You may also become hooked on Guinness (one of the sponsors) stout, seafood, and hard cider.

You will also get a hotel, guesthouse, and restaurant guide to Lorient. You can buy tickets to events at the last minute (seats are not reserved), but reserve sleeping space this month or you will have to drive for miles to find a bed. Hotel prices are very moderate, generally in the $34- price range for a double, although you can pay as little as $20 or as much $74.

Tickets or entry fees for paying events vary from about $5.75 to about $22. There are several free events every day. The festival catalog ($5) is 84 pages long.

You can fly direct from Paris (four flights a day) to the airport of Lann-Bihoue, 5 miles from Lorient; You can also take the high-speed train, TGV, from Paris as far as Rennes or La Baule, Brittany (2 1/2 hours), and there is a connecting train.