Nor Cal Highland Games Cancelled

[Smayniac]

Monterey is probably August 7 & 8, the dates above are midweek. Their website still lists 2009 dates.

[Semiomniscient]

Frankly, I think that one of the big problems is the lack of general interest in Highland Games. Those of us who have ties through heritage or just kilt-iness support them but the general public doesn't though I suspect that they would if they were more aware of them. Sounds like you have a regular circuit in California as opposed to the scattered games here in the MidWest. Almost like we need a central source for Highland Games news and individual athlete's standings.

Geez...if NASCAR can become such a big thing, why can't Heavy Athletics?

I think that we all ought to become boosters and "evangelists" for the sport. Should be ways to promote it more on a regional and national level.

Maybe we need a steroid scandal..........

Best

AA

Well what about if we could first get our local sports networks to cover them on the local news--more than just a story on a festival, but actually discuss the athletic events. It'd be hard but getting one of the ESPN networks to cover a big games might bring interest... even if it is only on a premium channel in the middle of the night--it would get more coverage! People love scenes in shows when there is highland athletics... I remember an old episode of Home Improvement with Tim Allen participating in Highland Games. I mean, of course this is all a long-shot and what we really need is a big blockbuster like "Braveheart" to get people interested in things Scottish. Do we have any screen writers on the list?

[svc40bt]

Sorry to hear. Hopefully our fair number of local games will continue this year.

[Coinneach]

This is sad. I didn't realize how many Highland Games had been suffering in recent years.

So I hereby invite you to the Savannah Scottish Games. Having a home on the east coast, I've always been away during the games...not this year! I'm finally going to get a chance to support my local Games. The athletic competitions are always of high interest, as much as the music and dancing.

http://www.savannahscottishgames.com/

[auld argonian]

I mean, of course this is all a long-shot and what we really need is a big blockbuster like "Braveheart" to get people interested in things Scottish. Do we have any screen writers on the list?

Might be more like "Dodgeball" than "Braveheart".

"Why don't we pay it off in Canadian dollars and save ourselves some money ? ..."

Best

AA

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

While part of the decline may be do to the general state of the economy, I think that another, oft overlooked, factor is that some games have frankly "lost their way" sometime before they fell off the precipice.

Originally these were Highland Games, not some sort of pan-Celtic, quasi-RennFaire, SCA event in kilts. As games placed more emphasis on the fringe, they became less focused and, in my opinion, damaged their gate.

Visitors to the games attend to share or discover Scottish Heritage, and anything that takes away from that experience runs the risk of discouraging some visitors from returning next year. I think the organizers of games have to realize this, or risk financial ruin.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Well what about if we could first get our local sports networks to cover them on the local news--more than just a story on a festival, but actually discuss the athletic events. It'd be hard but getting one of the ESPN networks to cover a big games might bring interest... even if it is only on a premium channel in the middle of the night--it would get more coverage! People love scenes in shows when there is highland athletics... I remember an old episode of Home Improvement with Tim Allen participating in Highland Games. I mean, of course this is all a long-shot and what we really need is a big blockbuster like "Braveheart" to get people interested in things Scottish. Do we have any screen writers on the list?

I think we have to understand that Highland Athletics really is a minority sport, and receives less television coverage in the UK than snooker, or darts, or lawn bowling. That being the case, I don't see television executives in North America falling all over themselves to snap up the broadcast rights to Highland Athletics any time soon.

[Panache]

With all due respect to MoR, I suspect that a great many smaller Highland Games will cease and more "Celtic Festivals" or Renaissance Faire events will take their place. This is not necessarily good or bad, it just is. The ties that bind people to their heritage aren't what they were. Event organizers (rightly) need to ensure that they don't lose money on their events and will invest in those that have the broadest appeal (i.e "Celtic" vs. "Scottish").

Hopefully as this happens individuals involved with Scottish Heritage activities will take the opportunities given and make sure that heavy athletics, highland dance, SCD, mucic, and culture find a place in these new venues.

One thing to keep in mind that highland games here in the US are not what they are in Scotland.

Let's all make sure we promote the positive aspects of Scottish Heritage activities wherever we find the chance.

Cheers

Jamie :ootd:

[Alan H]

While part of the decline may be do to the general state of the economy, I think that another, oft overlooked, factor is that some games have frankly "lost their way" sometime before they fell off the precipice.

Originally these were Highland Games, not some sort of pan-Celtic, quasi-RennFaire, SCA event in kilts. As games placed more emphasis on the fringe, they became less focused and, in my opinion, damaged their gate.

Visitors to the games attend to share or discover Scottish Heritage, and anything that takes away from that experience runs the risk of discouraging some visitors from returning next year. I think the organizers of games have to realize this, or risk financial ruin.

Strangely enough, the Campbell Highland Games is toast, and two years of steady fundraising through whisky tastings, concerts and so on hasn't covered the shortfall.....

....but the Santa Cruz Scottish Renaissance Festival has expanded from one day to two, on the same date that the Campbell Games used to occupy and only about forty miles away.

Highland Games are suffering, but the local professionally-run Renaissance Faire runs to overflow crowds for six-seven weeks every summer hereabouts. They had to move a couple of years ago because the previous venue couldn't handle the throngs. They make so much money at Faire that they actually hire professional actors, bands and so on to staff much of the place. There are literally hundreds of employees....not volunteers, EMPLOYEES....at the Northern California Renaissance Faire.

Meanwhile, the Games which celebrate Scottish Culture with Bands, Dancers, Athletics and Clans, take a huge hit. The Campbell Games have been in decline for 2-3 years and that has never been a Games with a lot of those useless, clueless, inaccurate Ren Faire type re-enactors that you so obviously detest. Livermore has had it's share of re-enactors, but the bands, dancers, athletics and vendors have always been much more prominent. In fact, for square footage of space used up, the Athletics has always been the biggest thing going at Livermore. Yet the Livermore Games has been in decline for two years as well, and last yearon Sunday when I threw on the field in 105 degree heat, it was really sad to see the vendors. Many of them didn't even make back their participation/booth rent.

At the Santa Cruz Games last October, I talked to two or three of the vendors, including Mrs. Farlanders friend. She didn't make back her fee for renting the space, and one other, much larger vendor was barely going to break even. And yet at that Games, there was only one re-enactment Guild present and they were shoved off in a corner. It was all about the Clans.... that's all they had room for. Our throwing area was tiny, and the main music stage was way down by the Clan glen. The smaller music stage was up by us throwers, and they didn't have much audience all day long.

Shockingly, the Guilds are a significant draw for the Dunsmuir Games. The past two years, a survey has been put around on the grounds of the Games. Amazing, but at least at this Games, the re-enactor camps scored near the top of what the people attending enjoyed most. Clan attendance at Dunsmuir is always quite small.

So much for your theory.

[Alan H]

The two biggest Nor Cal Games....Woodland and Pleasanton, are still "on" and I'm sure they will not fold any time soon. They will certainly gather crowds in the tens of thousands.

Funny, but both of them have living history areas with those icky "re-enactors in kilts".

Tartan Day in Ardenwood is "on", and at most a dozen clans attend, if that. It's thick with those horrible Pan-Celtic types and re-enactors in kilts, putting on fake swordplay. No pipe bands come out, not ONE. Last year there were no dance groups, I hear that this year there might be a school or two. The local Athletic group is busy, 500 miles south in Bakersfield, and so the only Athletics are what I bring along. The number of vendors is about a dozen. Much of the music is provided by volunteer groups, or the local harpers hall. Only two "name bands" make it to Tartan Day.

And yet Tartan Day at Ardenwood is still a going concern. Son of a gun. Of course, this is California...you know, the land of the uneducated and generally unwashed masses who don't know any better.