Yosemite Celtic Festival

08/31/2026

Think you’ve got what it takes to toss a bear?

At the Yosemite Celtic Festival, our youngest Highland athletes get their own turn in the spotlight with the Ca-Bear Toss — a kid-friendly twist on one of the most iconic Highland Games traditions.

Instead of a towering caber, kids take on the challenge with a much more manageable “bear,” giving them a chance to step into the Games, test their strength, and have some fun while learning a little about Highland tradition along the way.

It’s playful. It’s energetic. And yes… there may be some serious bragging rights involved.

Bring the kids, cheer them on, and see who can make the mightiest Ca-Bear Toss of the weekend!

October 17–18, 2026
Oakhurst Community Center

08/30/2026

⚔️ YOU MAY HEAR THEM BEFORE YOU SEE THEM.

The Dark Boar Vikings are returning to Yosemite Celtic Festival.

Throughout the weekend, you may encounter warriors. You may witness a raid, or be called to join a raid or defend a land.

Yosemite Celtic Festival isn't built around simply looking at history.

We want you surrounded by it.

Viking appearances and raids will be part of the Festival Schedule, along with performances, competitions and demonstrations across the weekend.
www.YosemiteCelticFestival.com/Festival-Schedule

Check it regularly. We are adding more every week.

yosemitecelticfestival.com/festival-schedule

October 17–18
Oakhurst, California

The Vikings are coming. Consider yourself warned.

08/29/2026

Sip local. Celebrate Celtic.

A huge thank you to our Yosemite Celtic Festival beverage sponsors:




Be sure to stop by and support these fantastic businesses during festival weekend as we gather for music, Highland Games, food, drink, and community.

October 17–18, 2026
Oakhurst Community Center

08/29/2026

💪 THIS IS WHAT A CELTIC FESTIVAL SHOULD SOUND LIKE.

The thud of the stone.

The roar of the crowd.

The call of the judge.

And somewhere nearby… someone preparing to send a caber through the air.

The Highland Games return to Yosemite Celtic Festival October 17–18 with traditional Scottish heavy athletics throughout the weekend.

Braemar Stone.
Open Stone.
Heavy Weight for Distance.
Heavy Hammer.
Caber Toss.
Sheaf Toss.
Weight Over Bar.

Come find your favorite athlete.

Cheer ridiculously loudly.

And if you have never watched someone attempt to turn a caber end over end, October seems like a very good time to start.

Competition times and other festival activities are being added to the Festival Schedule as they are finalized.

Check it now. Check it again next week.
yosemitecelticfestival.com/festival-schedule

Get Tickets
🎟️ yosemitecelticfestival.com/tickets

08/28/2026

🦅 CELTIC HISTORY TAKES FLIGHT.

There is something extraordinary about standing only feet away from a bird of prey.

The 3 Falconeers are bringing their highly entertaining birds of prey show to Yosemite Celtic Festival, connecting centuries of falconry history with the wildlife and landscape of the Yosemite and Sierra region.

These are powerful predators.

Remarkable ambassadors.

And an unforgettable way to experience history beyond a book or museum.

The 3 Falconeers join us October 17–18 in Oakhurst.

Want to know when they are appearing?

Keep an eye on the Festival Schedule. We are continuously adding show times, performances and activities as the weekend takes shape.

yosemitecelticfestival.com/festival-schedule

🎟️ yosemitecelticfestival.com/tickets

08/27/2026

☘️ THE YOUNG DUBLINERS ARE COMING TO OAKHURST.

Saturday afternoon at Yosemite Celtic Festival is going to end with one enormous Celtic rock celebration.

The Young Dubliners take The Highland Stage at 4:30 PM Saturday, October 17.

For decades, the Young Dubliners have brought their unmistakable blend of Irish music and rock to audiences around the world — and this fall, they’re bringing it to the Yosemite foothills.

But here’s the important part:

Their performance is part of your festival day.

Come early. Watch the Highland Games. Hear live Celtic music. Visit Clan Row. See the Vikings. Experience the birds of prey. Grab something to eat and drink.

Then gather at The Highland Stage for the Young Dubliners.

This is going to be one incredible Saturday.

🎟️ yosemitecelticfestival.com/tickets

08/26/2026

🌟 YOSEMITE CELTIC FESTIVAL IS FEATURED BY VISIT CALIFORNIA! 🌟

This is a BIG one.

Visit California has included the Yosemite Celtic Festival & Highland Games in its official guide to October 2026 events across the Golden State — among more than 30 events they say travelers can “plan a trip around.”

And there we are:

October 17–18: Yosemite Celtic Festival and Highland Games — Oakhurst, California. 🏴🌲

Visit California invites travelers to experience “feats of strength” and Celtic heritage in the Yosemite gateway town of Oakhurst, highlighting our Scottish Highland Athletics, bagpiping, beard and mustache competitions, live music, dancing and Celtic food.

For us, this means so much more than appearing on a list.

It means Yosemite Celtic Festival is being recognized as a reason to travel.

A reason to come to Oakhurst.

A reason to spend a fall weekend in California’s Yosemite gateway communities and discover what happens beyond the gates of Yosemite National Park.

We have always believed that extraordinary events can become part of the destination experience — bringing people together through heritage, music, competition, storytelling, food and community.

Now Visit California is helping tell that story to travelers across the state, the country and beyond.

From international coverage in The Netherlands to a feature on Visit California, the word is spreading:

Something extraordinary is happening in the Yosemite Highlands this October. ❤️

📍 Oakhurst, California
📅 October 17–18, 2026

Come experience the Yosemite Celtic Festival & Highland Games.

And perhaps… plan a trip around it. 😉

Read the Visit California October Events guide:
https://www.visitcalifornia.com/experience/october-events-california/

California really shines in autumn, whether you’re looking for warm beach days, mountain hikes with foliage, or festive harvest celebrations. Take a deep dive…

08/26/2026

🌍 YOSEMITE CELTIC FESTIVAL IS MAKING NEWS AROUND THE WORLD! 🌍

From the Yosemite Highlands… all the way to The Netherlands. 🇺🇸🏴🌲🇳🇱

We are incredibly excited to share that Yosemite Celtic Festival has been featured by Visit USA The Netherlands — introducing international travelers to our celebration in Oakhurst and the experience waiting for them in California’s Yosemite gateway.

And this line from the article?

It is CALIFORNIA SIERRA GOLD:

“Dit festival is de omweg meer dan waard.”

“This festival is more than worth the detour.”

Yes. Exactly that.

Because Yosemite Celtic Festival is more than a weekend event.

It is Highland Games and bagpipes.
Celtic music and dancing.
Clans and heritage.
Whisky and traditions.
Vikings, birds of prey, archery and family adventures.
Storytelling, community and the unmistakable spirit of the Highlands — right here in the Sierra.

And now that story is traveling beyond California. Beyond the United States.

Across the Atlantic.

What began as a gathering in Oakhurst is becoming part of the international story of visiting the Yosemite region — giving travelers another reason to stay, explore, celebrate and discover the communities surrounding one of the most iconic destinations in the world.

We could not be more proud to see Yosemite Celtic Festival — and our Yosemite gateway community — reaching audiences around the globe.

“Dit festival is de omweg meer dan waard.”

“This festival is more than worth the detour.”

We’ll see you in the Yosemite Highlands. ❤️

📍 Oakhurst, California
📅 October 17–18, 2026

Read the Visit USA The Netherlands feature:
https://visitusa.nl/yosemite-celtic-festival/

Ontdek het Yosemite Celtic Festival 2026 in Oakhurst, Californië. Beleef Highland Games, whisky, livemuziek en Keltische tradities.

08/21/2026

🏴 DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR PEOPLE CAME FROM?

One of our favorite things about a Celtic festival is watching someone wander down Clan Row and suddenly stop.

They recognize a name.

A tartan.

A place.

A story their grandfather used to tell.

Our clan representatives are not simply decorations around the festival grounds. They are keepers of histories, family names, traditions and connections stretching across generations.

Come ask questions.

Come look for your name.

Come discover something you didn’t know.

And if your family history is complicated, incomplete, adopted, chosen or still waiting to be discovered — come anyway.

Heritage is about the stories we inherit AND the stories we choose to carry forward.

Join Us
Yosemite Celtic Festival
October 17th & 18th
Oakhurst Community Center
Oakhurst, California
www.yosemitecelticfestival.com

08/21/2026

🦅 LOOK UP.

Some of the most extraordinary performers at this year’s Yosemite Celtic Festival have wings.

The 3 Falconeers bring their birds of prey to the festival for an entertaining experience rooted both in history and in the wild landscape surrounding Yosemite.

Falconry has a centuries-old connection to European history — but seeing these magnificent birds here in the Sierra makes that history feel remarkably close to home.

Beautiful.

Powerful.

Educational.

And very possibly one of those things your kids will still be talking about on Monday.

🦅 The 3 Falconeers — October 17 & 18

Join us for the Yosemite Celtic Festival at Oakhurst Community Center. Enjoy music, dance, highland games, & whisky tastings while celebrating Celtic culture!