49th Annual Monterey Scottish Games & Celtic Festival at the Monterey County Fair & Event Center - August 6th and 7th, 2016

Bringing the Tastes, Sights & Sounds of Scotland, Ireland and England to the Monterey Peninsula!

 

July 21, 2016 Monterey, CA.  Travel to Scotland, Ireland and England without leaving the Monterey Peninsula. Come out and celebrate Scottish culture, traditions, competitions and entertainment.  Don’t miss the 49th Annual Monterey Scottish Games & Celtic Festival (www.montereyscotgames.com) that will be held at the beautiful Monterey County Fair & Event Center on August 6 and 7, 2016. 

 

At a Glance

 

What: 49th Annual Monterey Scottish Games & Celtic Festival

 

When: Saturday, August 6th and Sunday, August 7th from 9:00 am – 6:00 p.m.

 

Detailed daily schedule on www.montereyscotgames.com

 

Where: Monterey County Fair & Event Center, 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey, CA 93940

 

What: This very popular Celtic celebration brings the music, dance, food and athletic events of Scotland and Ireland to Monterey County.  Featuring fun activities for the whole family, the Monterey Scottish Games & Celtic Festival offers a variety of live Celtic entertainment with exciting massed pipe bands on parade, including many award-winning California-based pipe bands, plus talented Highland and Irish dancers, special entertainers, athletes, clans, kids games, whisky tasting, delicious food, great crafts, sheepdog herding and much more. In addition to traditional pipes and drums, dancing, and athletic competitions, the Games is a celebration full of demonstrations, performance and musical entertainment related to many aspects of Scottish and Gaelic culture.  Dozens of kilted athletes, bagpipers and dancers will be back in Monterey entertaining Festival-goers who will enjoy experiencing and learning more about the fascinating Celtic culture. 

 

Tickets: Advance discount presale Monterey Scottish Festival tickets are on sale at www.montereyscotgames.com. Advance tickets are available through midnight August 5th and at the gate during both days of the Festival. 

Adult One-Day - Presale [$15.00]  - At Gate [$20.00]

Senior (65+) One-Day - Presale [$12.00] - At Gate [$15.00]

Military One-Day - Presale [$12.00] - At Gate [$15.00]

Child (9-15) One Day - Presale [$12.00] - At Gate [$15.00]

 

Adult Two-Day - Presale [$20.00] - At Gate [$30.00]

Senior (65+) Two-Day - Presale [$15.00] - At Gate [$20.00]

Military Two-Day - Presale [$15.00] - At Gate [$20.00]

Child (9-15) Two-Day - Presale [$15.00] - At Gate [$20.00]

Children 8 & under free

New! “A Piping Hot Dinner” at Britannia Arms, 444 Alvarado, Monterey, CA. Enjoy bagpiper performances by members of the award-winning Prince Charles Pipe Band at the Britannia Arms of Monterey Pub & Restaurant in Downtown Monterey between 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 6th. Bring your ticket stub or a copy of your Scottish Festival ticket and receive 20% off of your dinner at Britannia Arms between 6:00 pm – 9:30 pm.

Here’s a quick glimpse of a past festival: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LMYEl8G2UY&feature=youtu.be

For more information: www.montereyscotgames.com or call 831-682-2022

Post on your social media platforms and use the hashtag #montereyscottishfestival

More Details about the Monterey Scottish Games & Celtic Festival

Sip and Enjoy Guinness Beer and Whiskey

 

Festival favorite Guinness Beer will be on tap along with other beer, cocktails, sodas and other beverages. There will be a special single malt Whisky Tasting Seminar on Saturday and Sunday(separate ticket price of $30 available at the information booth) available for those who want to learn more about Scottish Whisky!

 

Come enjoy a tasting seminar of one of Scotland’s greatest exports—fine, single malt Scotch Whisky. The Whisky Tasting event at 2:30 pm each day will provide you with a greater understanding of the history, distillation process and various tasting characteristics of fine Whiskies. Learn the difference between single and blended whiskeys, as well as Scotch, Irish and Bourbon whisky.

 

Wonderful food! Enjoy all the tastes – from savory to sweet!

 

Here are the vendors who will bring the delicious tastes of Scotland, England and Ireland to the Festival. Feel free to buy extras and stock up your freezer too!

Ministry of Foods

British Bangers, Celtic Rolls, Shepherds Pies

Heritage Meat Pies – Sunblest Foods

Assorted meat pies, haggis, scones with strawberries 

Taste of Britain

Fish and Chips, Corned Beef and Cabbage, Kids specials–Chicken Tenders and Corn Dogs

Sweet and Mellow

Coffees, etc. 

The Welsh Baker

Tea Room serving Welsh cakes, Tea and Coffee

Browns English Toffee

Handmade toffees etc 

Mrs Morrison’s Shortbread

Celtic Candies and Cakes

McLaren’s Shortbread

Shopping:

The Festival features lots of great gifts for yourself and your loved ones – from jewelry to crafts, kilts, armor and much more! Remember, Christmas is just around the corner, too!

Here’s some of the items attendees will enjoy seeing: 

Celtic Shoppe

Scottish and Irish crafts, scarves, kilt hose, etc

Heather Glen Designs

Scottish and Celtic Jewelry designs 

Nagle Forge & Foundry

Hand forged jewelry in silver, bronze and gold

Phoenix and Crow

Celtic totebags and tapestries 

Heirloom Blessings

Buzz Kidder Originals of CA

Why Knot Fashions

Embossed T-shirts, hats, sweatshirts–adults and kids 

C H Hutchinson

Swords armor kilts

A & A Company

Scottish Celtic silver jewelry 

Family History of Surnames

Histories of last names, crests

Off Kilter Kilts

Scotsman Grooming

Celtic Nook

Selkie Souls

Entertainment:

The Festival’s solo and band bagpipe competitions from pipers and drummers throughout California, exciting massed pipe band performances and drum major performances. There is also a drum clinic on Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. with the award winning Liza MacAdam (bring your drum kit).

 

Highland dancing and Irish dancing are also performed at the Festival to the delight of spectators.

 

The outstanding array of special entertainment this year features many crowd-pleasing favorites for all ages including internationally known entertainers such as the hilarious Irish entertainer singer/songwriter, Seamus Kennedy, and talented singer/songwriter composer Steve McDonald and singer/songwriter Peter Baldry.

Seamus Kennedy – Originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, Seamus has been entertaining audiences all over the United States for the past 32 years. With a ready wit and a vast store of songs, he travels from Alaska to Florida, performing for audiences ranging from Popes and presidents to bartenders and bricklayers, college students and kindergartners. http://www.seamuskennedy.com

Peter Daldry – Scottish, Irish, Folk music, Acoustic guitar, singer, songwriter with a strong smooth tenor voice.www.peterdaldry.com

Steve McDonald — New Zealand Celtic composer, singer, and instrumentalist, Steve performed in several rock bands, including Human Instinct, before his solo career.  McDonald has explored his Scottish heritage through a series of popular Celtic recordings and documentaries.  www.stevemcdonaldfanclub.com

Athletics:

In their original form many centuries ago, Highland games revolved around athletic and sports competitions and they have been portrayed in popular films such as Brave, Rob Roy and Braveheart, among others. A favorite activity at the Monterey Scottish Festival are the thrilling athletic events, including the Caber Toss (the tossing of a tapered pole, like a telephone pole, end over end. Other athletic events include the Hammer & Stone Throw, Weight for Distance & Height, and the Sheaf Toss.  Over two days, multiple classes, age groups, and even youth games showcase the best each athlete has to offer in endurance, strength, and skill.

Kids Games:

The Children’s Glen hosts a number of fun activities for the wee ones. Children of all ages can participate in downsized, mini athletic events (such as caber toss, pillow over the bar and braemar stone putt.) There are also a number of Celtic craft projects and the ever-popular Celtic Quest: hunting for various sites throughout the Festival and returning for a prize. Plus, there’s the popular blacksmith, Steve Vaden of Vaden Forge, who has a blacksmith activity just for the kids. 

Sheepherding:

Watch as these intelligent and highly skilled dogs gently herd sheep and ducks, under their handlers every command. Introduced to livestock as puppies so they “imprint” on the animals these animals are always able to get their ducks in a row! Don’t miss this demonstration of instinct combined with careful training and guidance. 

Avenue of the Clans:

Feel free to wear your clan’s tartan and stop and visit the many clan and Celtic association tents. A tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colors. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials.  

Historical Reenactment:

Mary Queen of Scots and over 50 of her beautifully dressed members of her court will be on hand. Attendees can meet the Queen, and children can enjoy tea and biscuits. All will be in awe of her costumed followers. The SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) members will also be on hand at the Festival.

New! Photo Contest – Win tickets for the 2017 Festival:

The 2017 Monterey Scottish Games & Celtic Festival photo contest in association with the Padre Trails Camera Club is also being launched now for 2017 which will be the commemorative 50th Monterey Scottish Games & Celtic Festival. Attendees of this year’s August 6 and 7, 2016 event, will be asked to submit one favorite photo from their visit to the 2016 Festival to [email protected] by April 1, 2017.

The 2016 Honoroary Chieftain of the Games is Kelly McMillan, Salinas Police Department’s Chief of Police.

 

Each year, the proceeds from the Monterey Scottish Games & Celtic Festival benefit several local nonprofit organizations in Monterey County.

To schedule an interview, call Wendy Brickman at (831) 594-1500 or email [email protected].