Athletes will toss cabers, musicians will play Celtic tunes and Irish dancers will take the stage when the South Jersey Celtic Festival and Highland Games returns to Burlington County in October.

The fifth annual festival will take place Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11, from 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at the Burlington County Fairgrounds in Columbus. Admission is free, though organizers are requesting a $10 donation per person.

The Highland Games will be one of Saturday's main attractions, with athletes competing in traditional Scottish events including the caber toss, hammer throw and shot put. The caber toss, which involves flipping a long wooden pole end over end, is one of the most recognizable Highland Games events. A Highland Games clinic will be held Sunday.

The competition won't be the only Celtic sport on display. The South Jersey Rebels will demonstrate hurling, the fast-moving Irish game played with a wooden stick and ball, and lead mini games for people interested in trying it themselves.

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Away from the athletic field, live music and dancing will continue throughout the weekend. The Shantys will perform Saturday, followed by Charlie Zahm on Sunday, with bagpipers and Irish and Celtic dancers also part of the entertainment lineup.

There will be plenty to eat and drink between performances and competitions. Food trucks and vendors will be set up around the fairgrounds, with craft beer, wine and mead also expected to be available.

A separate whiskey tasting also is planned through the South Jersey Celtic Society's Scotch and Whiskey Appreciation Club. The tasting is tentatively priced at $45 per person, with an optional cheese pairing available for $10. Seating is limited.

The South Jersey Celtic Society organizes the annual festival, which brings Scottish, Irish and other Celtic traditions together for a weekend of competition, music, dancing, food and drink.

Oct. 10-Oct. 11 | 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Burlington County Fairgrounds
1990 Jacksonville Jobstown Road
Columbus, NJ 08022
Admission: Free; organizers are requesting a $10 donation per person
Whiskey tasting: Separate ticket required

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