The Highland Games

 

For me the beginning of spring means the opening of the Highland Games / Celtic Festival among many other conventions. In some states the games open right at spring, where I live in Washington the first weekend of June is the start of the Highland Games. I have been attending and participating in the games for over thirty years.

Now a days I am usually helping at a friend’s weapons booth. I enjoy selling swords and medieval style weapons, or I hang at the Clan booth and talk with people that want to now about the Clan Cameron.  The Clan Cameron is the clan of my Scottish Heritage. I enjoy hanging out at the clan booth which in tales telling people who we are that ask of it, talk about clan history or helping them find out if they are a member of the clan and eating shortbread biscuits.   It is fun watching people become interested in wanting to know their heritage and then wanting to buy a kilt. We usually one form or another of the Clan Tartan, which the Clan Cameron’s have six styles.

We in Washington state have many Highland Games with the biggest in Enumclaw that takes up the whole fair grounds for the event. Some of the others are the Bellingham Highland Games which opens the season as they are the ones who meet at the first weekend in June., then Tacoma and the Islands have a few. We have over eight of them starting from June and going to the beginning of October.

Some who have never been to a Highland Games wander what goes on there, well beside the common caber tossing and the Irish Dancing. There are so many different activities to participate in or watch. We have this thing at the opening ceremony which happens after the Bagpipes play and the many different National Anthems are played. They play the US, Canada and Scottish and sometimes English, there begins the gathering of the clans. All the Scottish, Welsh and Irish clans that are attending gather then march in front of all the audience to see and the MC announces each Clan name. There I usually about forty clans at the bigger games and ten to fifteen for the smaller gatherings.

Once the opening ceremonies have concluded which usually takes about twenty minutes to get through the whole opening, many folks head to the beer garden and grab some drink or head to the food trucks and try their hand at some traditional and modern food. Others will take this opportunity to browse the many different booths There are many types of booths, where the merchants are selling anything from weapons, swords, Kilts (Formal, Casual and Utility), dresses and authentic Scottish/Irish or Celtic Trinkets and food such as Irn Bru which is a Scottish Orange coloured soda.

There are booths set up all over the grounds that displays and honours the many different clans from Scotland, sometimes from Ireland (Irish Clans are groups by County not family). And a few Welsh Clans. There are also booths that will help you find you family crest, clan and heritage if need be.

You’re probably asking what about the games section, well that’s easy to explain. There is a special area that is et up just for the games themselves. This is roped off just for the competitors, judges and assistants. There is a separate place with stadium style seating for the spectators to watch and cheer.

First, we will start off with the Caber Toss which mentioned earlier, this is like throwing a telephone pole. A Caber is usually made from a Larch Tree and is 19’ and 6” (5.94m) tall and weighs 12.5 stones (175 lbs, 79 kg). I have participated in this event twice in my life, it was fun and exciting throwing it up and watch as it hits at a distance and fall. The other events are stone put this is kind of like the Olympic Shotput. Then you have the Hammer throw, weight throw, Weight over the bar, Sheaf Toss and the Maide-leisg.

The Sheaf toss is pitching and throwing a bundle of hay over a raised bar. All these events are performed by both men and women. There are even events for children to participate in, and they have their own version of the Caber Toss.

Bagpipe music is all live and plays through-out the whole event. Many different Bagpipe groups play in different parts of the event for all people to hear. A couple of food trucks to offer Haggis, and other typical Scottish foods. At the pre and post Event you can attend a Ceilidh which is a type of Social Event with traditional Musique, dancing, Song and other forms of entertainment along with vast amounts of drinking.

You can never be bored at a Highland Games, and if you are you’re doing something completely wrong. There is so much to do, watch and be entertained with that you’ll never want to leave, or have the need to seek out the next one and be traveling to all of them.

One last thing that I almost forgot to mention was the Herding Dog Trials and showing off many different types of Highland animals such as the Highland Cattle, which looks completely different than that of cattle in the US.

So I suggest that you go and check it out and see for yourself. I am sure you’ll enjoy yourself and maybe find a new hobby or an interest in Celtic Culture. Want to buy and wear kilts, find an interest in you family heritage and learn more about it with genealogy.