For everything that guests see, there's plenty happening behind the scenes. We've whittled the list down to a few favorite moments from some of our staffers.
Gaelic Libations: There was a year when the beer truck's lock wouldn't open. Panic set in when none of the staff could break the lock. That's why we're blessed to be a Celtic festival- a Highland Athlete was brought in and cut the lock like it was butter!
Grounds: Because the festival is held in September we often deal with challenging weather, sometimes rain but more often with strong winds. Many volunteers have watched tents take flight and signs fly away. But no one hesitates to clean up and repair everything they see to keep the festival flowing smoothly- even if it's repairing with sticks, zip ties and Hello Kitty duct tape.
Animals: Forever unpredictable, animals can be both wonderful and challenging. Sheep have stopped crowds and nearly knocked over busy staffers during set-up. A friendly town dog enjoyed a  wonderful afternoon at the festival...by himself! Park squirrels once had a very noisy turf battle along the edge of our fence. There was a year you couldn't go anywhere without seeing bees. And more recently volunteers got an unexpected surprise when they happened upon a pair of Llamas enjoying a little afternoon delight.
Security: Our festival is unique in that an assortment of weapons are allowed on-site for demos, re-enactments and traditional ceremonies. A young, new security staffer wasn't aware of this and asked his superior if they were allowed. At that moment a very large man passed by with a 6-foot sword strapped to his back. The Team Leader pointed at the man. "Go ahead, take it from him."
Attire: There is often a learning curve involved when wearing a kilt those first few times. While relaxing at the Ceilidh a volunteer kept wondering why some older women were giggling and pointing in his direction. That is until his wife told him to cross his legs. Oops! Romance: As with any large group of people working together, love is always in the air. From volunteers to guests, we've heard of countless romances blossoming or celebrated each year. In the last five years we've celebrated two marriages between volunteers who met at our event. These are truly some of the greatest results of our annual festival.
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this article- you know who you are. We can't wait to see what craziness, fun and surprises happen this year!
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