Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend at the 80th annual Scotsfest

Costa Mesa:  The United Scottish Society, a non-profit organization, will be hosting its 80th ScotsFest on Saturday, May 26th and Sunday, May 27th at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa. This two-day event will consist of the best of the Scottish and Celtic heritage with sounds of bagpipes and drums to the smells of authentic Scottish foods and the sights of the traditional plaid kilts. ScotsFest is produced to share and celebrate multiple traditions within the Scottish and Celtic culture.

ScotsFest has a wide array of activities for all ages. This is an opportunity for families to come together and learn more about the Scottish culture. There will be activities such as running races, slides, improvised theatre and archery for the kids to engage in, as well as championship highland dancing, piping and drumming contests for the whole family to enjoy.

As for those who have a more developed palate, ScotsFest will feature whisky tastings and authentic Scottish beer. The genuine Scottish drinks will provide a more vivid and refreshing experience into the Scottish culture.  These drinks will accommodate the food by bringing out all of the flavors in the authentic Scottish meals that will be sold during the course of the event, including haggis.

ScotsFest will be full of Highland Games, such as Caber Tossing, Throwing the Weight, the Farmers Walk, Putting the Stone and the Hammer Throw. These games are both extremely physically and mentally challenging. There will be a Festival of Champions including one of the most anticipated events, the National Heavy Athletic Championships.  The crowning athletic event will be the 21 caber toss salute, which will feature 21 cabers being simultaneously tossed.

Along with the great food assortment and numerous activities, ScotsFest will have live entertainment to set the tone. All throughout the day there will be performances by well-known Celtic bands such as Bag Haggis, Sligo Rags, Brother, Plough Boys and Highland Way. The live entertainment will include special performances on both days of ScotsFest from the 1st Division US Marine Band from Camp Pendleton. The 1st Division US Marine Band is both talented and versatile, in which they had won the “Colonel George S. Howard Citation of Musical Excellence for Military Concert Bands,” in 2007. The 1st Division US Marine Band will play pieces that have been performed in military ceremonies.

From the minute the festival opens at 9AM, until the minute that it closes at 5PM, everyone will have had the opportunity to truly appreciate and celebrate every aspect of the Scottish and Celtic culture at the 80th Annual ScotsFest produced by the United Scottish Society.

Tickets, promotions and more information are available at www.ScotsFest.com.