Annual Ventura Seaside Highland Games, AKA 'The Scottish Fair'

The official name is the Seaside Highland Games, but around our house, we call it "The Scottish Fair."  This is a very much a family event with music, crafts, dance, and many a Clan represented on Ventura County Fairgrounds taking place this weekend, October 9-10 in Ventura, Calif.

The two-day event, taking place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday night, October 8, there will be a special Scottish evening, 6-10 p.m. at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel in Ventura.
The Seaside Games and fair will feature yes, actual traditional Scottish games, also known as "large men throwing heavy things"; a fiddling competition; dozens of Clan booths by name, from your Mac... and Mc.... to more; combat renactment; a children's glen for play and crafts; pavilions with vendors of all kinds, including foods and clothing; darts for fun and competitiom; classic cars; traditional Scottish and British food; Highland and traditional Scottish social dancing; and, of course a bounty of bagpipe bands.
The day's performers include:

• Scottish folk singer Alex Beaton
• The charming six-sibling, traditional-styled Celtic Spring with their mom and dad, too (so it's kinda a Celtic Partridge Family.
• The harmony-rich Browne Sisters & George Cavanaugh.
• Celtic variations from the trio out of Sydney, Australia, Brother.
• And a true Seaside Games favorite, the rip-snorting, ever rowdy and surely fun-bring Winked Tinkers, playing Great Highland Bagpipes, various ethnic drums dueling with an Australian aboriginal didgeridoo and the Bronze-Age Irish Horn. The Tinkers are a Seaside Games longtime fave. Get their music here.
• Plus, on the Irish step-dance side of things, the Claddagh Dance Company.

Ticket info:  

• Adults (13-61) $14 for one day, $22 for two days.
• Seniors (62 and up) and Miltary are $12/$20.
• Children 6-12, $3/$6 (5 and under free)

There are also advance tickets, but time's runnin' out on ya.  

• Adults $12/$18
• Seniors and Military $10/$17.

The Ventura County Fairgrounds in Seaside Park are at 10 W Harbor, Blvd., Ventura. Just pop in the info into your GPS, if you have it in the car or one your phone.

Find out more and get your advance tickets at www.seaside-games.com.