The Queen Mary’s 26th Annual ScotsFestival

This year’s games welcome the highest level of Professional Scottish Athletics to compete in the new All-American Professional Highland Games. Professional, Amateur, and Master Athletes will compete in several categories of traditional Highland competitions with final scores entered into the North American Scottish Games Athletics database. Those scores generate the invitations to Professional Highland games, which are invitation only, based on success in competition.

“The Queen Mary is a fantastic venue to watch local and visiting athletes compete.  It has been our favorite place to begin the Highland games season in Southern California for many years.” shared Catherine Ballard, Athletics Committee Member for ScotsFestival.

Scots have been honoring ancient Celtic traditions with athletic competitions for centuries, testing physical strength, skill and technique. The All-American Professional Highland Games welcomes some of the most acclaimed athletes to the Queen Mary to demonstrate their ancient warrior skill set, including some local stars who are from Southern California.

Growing up Lake Forest, California, Jon O’Neil was an NCAA All-American Shot Putter and Discus Thrower in college before competing in Olympic trials in 2000 and 2004. He won the International Highland Games Federation (IHGF) World Team Championship in 2012 and is the current North American record holder in Braemar Stone, who will be competing in the Professional division in the All-American Highland Games.

Colin Dunbar graduated from Long Beach State University before becoming five-time USATF national champion competitor in the Olympic hammer throw and an Amateur World Record holder. In his first year as a Professional Athlete, Dunbar will be participating in all nine traditional Highland competitions offered at this year’s ScotsFestival.

Ballard shared, “We have fielded dozens of international athletes and world record holders over the years, and 2019 is no exception. This year SAAA is very excited to expand the competition with the addition of a men’s IHGF professional class.”

ScotsFestival & International Highland Games XXVI welcomes nearly seventy Scottish clans and vendors throughout the festival weekend with professional and amateur competitions in piping, drumming, massed bands, darts, Highland dancing, and the new All-American Professional Highland athletics. The Scottish Highland Games, a precursor to today’s Olympic Games, were designed to test the strength, skill and technique of ancient warriors through faceoffs in caber toss, throwing the weight, hammer throw, putting the shot, sheaf toss and more.

Tickets to the 26th Annual ScotsFestival & International Highlands Games are on sale now and start at $25 online (ages 12+) and $12 online (ages 4-11) for one day general admission. VIP tickets start at $45 online. Upgrades, ticket add-ons, and hotel packages will also be available. Discounts are available to military and seniors. Visit queenmary.com for more details and to purchase tickets online.

About the Queen Mary

Located in the Port of Long Beach, the Queen Mary, an Urban Commons property, features a rich maritime history, authentic Art Deco décor, and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and Long Beach city skyline. At the time of her maiden voyage in May of 1936, she was considered the grandest ocean liner ever built. The Queen Mary’s signature restaurants include Sir Winston’s, Chelsea Chowder House, Promenade Café, Observation Bar, as well as, a weekly award-winning Royal Sunday Brunch served in the ship’s Grand Salon. History buffs enjoy the ship’s museum with various daily tours, and currently the ship is featuring their newest exhibition, Their Finest Hours: Winston Churchill and the Queen Mary. The Queen Mary features 35,000 square feet of event space in 13 remarkable Art Deco salons as well as a tri-level, 45,000-square- foot Exhibit Hall. The Queen Mary boasts 347 staterooms including nine suites. For more information or for reservations, visit www.queenmary.com or call (800) 437-2934. The Queen Mary is located at 1126 Queens Highway in Long Beach.

About Urban Commons

Urban Commons is a Los Angeles-based real estate investment and development firm with a successful track record for developing, repositioning and rebranding assets throughout the United States. The company focuses on impacting under-managed and under-utilized assets by developing innovative and emerging properties to promote optimal economic, social and environmental returns.  Since its founding in 2008, Urban Commons has owned and managed over 40 hotels and developed nearly one million square feet of commercial retail space. Website: www.urban-commons.com