Long Beach Festival

**kennethrmc** · 20th February 10, 02:50 PM

My Bonnie Wife and I...

Sheep Dog demo was really impressive, wicked smart Border Collies

This was a neat group of Renaissance Era re-enactors, real sticklers for authenticity

Lots of fine pipe bands: these guys sounded as good as they look too

Met LA Scotswoman there--missed other X Markers, but it was a very enjoyable Saturday at this event.

**Highlander31** · 20th February 10, 03:13 PM

Looks like a good time.

**bigdad1** · 20th February 10, 06:57 PM

Although the pictures show a pretty scene Sydnie and I found the Queen Mary games to be less than enjoyable. The clan tables are set up inside the ship on different levels and aren't really convenient to get to. They involved many stairs and of course you are not out in the beautiful ocean air. There weren't as many food vendors as at other games so you had to patronize the ships cafes at quite a hefty price tag. Not to mention a long wait. The caber toss and such were a very long walk away from the ship. Just all in all not as enjoyable as the Vista/San Diego games or the Seaside games in Ventura. We won't be going to the Queen again any time soon. A very nice venue just not what we felt were fun games.

**Riverkilt** · 20th February 10, 10:42 PM

Boy, you guys get around!!

Glad you had a good time...

I keep wanting to check those games out...maybe next year.

**DesertCeltic** · 21st February 10, 12:11 AM

Long Beach is a great town ... I will have to plan a trip to visit "the family" next year.

**cessna152towser** · 21st February 10, 06:10 AM

Excellent pics, always interesting to see games pics from a venue with a difference!

**OC Richard** · 21st February 10, 06:43 AM

I was there both days, thanks to LA Scots Woman!!

I missed hooking up with other Xmarkers... maybe we should have some sort of nametag or a special thing on our hat or something.

The Queen Mary Games are unique. There's stuff on that huge boat, stuff on the land nearby, and yes things are spread all around. The area of the boat they use has three stories so you have to go up and down stairs (the escalators weren't working). There are elevators though.

For pipers the highlight is the Sunday morning top-level solo piping competition held inside the boat in an area with great acoustics. At most other Games solos are outside with a lot of competing noise.

The Queen Mary Games are among the noisiest, with the amazingly loud foghorn going off from time to time, and gattling guns, cannon, and musketry rattling and booming all day. As if the bagpipes weren't enough.

I noticed fewer vendors this year. For kilt enthusiasts it was a pity that Celtic Craft Centre Edinbugh didn't come. They've been coming for ages.

I heard that people arriving later in the day had horrible parking troubles, many simply being turned away. I heard that this year they didn't set up the overflow parking lot with shuttle that they had in the past.

**Jock Scot** · 21st February 10, 06:52 AM

OC Richard.

The Dandelion is our xmarks plant badge. I am not sure where you get "out of season" ones, but artificial ones are available. Chas was very kind and sent me two, as yet I have not had the occasion to wear one yet, but give me time.