This is the second time they are holding the festival, and last year's was a blast. Unfortunately it will be in a different venue than last year so hopefully that works out well, but this was one of the more fun festivals I went to last year.

It's a one day event, and while it has all the trappings of the normal Highland Games/Scottish Festival it's primarily a music, dancing, and entertainment event. There are vendors, and there are clan tents, there will be massed bands and pipe regiments. The main focus will be on performers however, be they singers, dancers, or groups.

It was also one of the best Athletic Events last year, where were performed the infamous "Charge of the Caber". At the conclusion of the day's events we had a sort of impromptu challenge with the operators of a tennis ball trebuchet.

They launched dozens of tennis balls at us, and we had a caber picked and charged into the oncoming fusilade of balls, trying to hit one with the caber we were desperately balancing before attempting the turn. It was a test of balance and skill with the run as much as actually turning it. It had a great medieval feel to be charging a trebuchet under fire with a giant log as well.

The Fest is Sunday, Dec 2nd at Soka University in Aliso Viejo.

Check it out. http://www.occelticfestival.com/