Nelson Bay to host ninth annual Clans on the Coast Celtic Festival

Gates to the September 17 festival open at 8.30am and close around 4.30pm.

A marching parade will kick off the day’s events. Attending clans and pipe bands will march around Tomaree’s number one sports field at 9.30am.

“We are a not-for-profit community event run by volunteers and charity organisations,” Ron Swan, president of the Port Stephens Celtic Association, said.

“We aim, each year, to donate to palliative care, cancer care and more.”

This is the event’s ninth year.

Throughout the day there will Celtic dancing and music, medieval fighting, strongman events including the East Coast Strongman Championships, an eight-person tug of war competition, children’s activities including those run by Raymond Terrace Scouts.

There will be stalls set up at the Tomaree fields selling Celtic jewelry, Scottish and Celtic attire, novelty items, books, DVDs, family ancestral information and tartan-clad bears.

Murray’s Brewery and McLeish Estate will be set up on the day along with a number of other food and drink stalls.

The cost is $15 per adult, $10 for pensioners and $2 for children under 18. Money raised at the gate is donated by the association to charity.

The Celtic activities will continue on Sunday.

Between 10.30am and noon on September 18 there will be highland dancers, drums and the Ingleburn pipes at d’Albora Marinas.

The Kirkin of the tartan blessing will be performed at the marina on Sunday morning.

A charity bowls event will be held at Nelson Bay Bowling Club from 10am on Sunday.

More information can be found on the Port Stephens Celtic Association website.