Nor Cal Highland Games Cancelled

**Alan H** · 24th January 10, 11:59 PM

The word from 1.) the LAPRD, 2.) the Campbell Games and 3.) My re-enactor connections is that..

1. Livermore Games..May
2. Campbell Games... June
3. Dunsmuir Games... July

...are all cancelled this year. We've known that Livermore is gone for some time. The 105 degree heat last year killed the Gate on Sunday, I'm sure they lost their shirt. There are no signs of life on the Campbell Games website, and apparently Dunsmuir just got canned last week. There may be a small group trying to organize something for one day, we'll see.

You might put this on the calendar.

http://www.scottishrenaissancefestival.org/

I am planning on being at the Santa Cruz Ren Festival with my Guild, doing at least some of the Heavy Athletics.

The Woodland Games are still "on"....April 24-25

and if you want to drive to Bakersfield on April 10th you can see those Games (come to Tartan Day at Ardenwood, instead).

The next Central California Games won't be until Monterey, which I believe is on August 10-11th....Well, that's not true, Modesto is in June, but for the athletes, that's by invitation only as the field is really small and I'm not "in good" with the Athletic Director so I doubt I'll be throwing.

As you can imagine from looking at my training log and how hard I am working, I am NOT happy about this. I think I'll be flying up to Enumclaw again at the end of July and will by flying down to Costa Mesa at the end of May.

**piperdbh** · 25th January 10, 06:22 AM

That ain't cool. I wonder if the three cancelled Games could be combined somehow into one big one...

I hope you find some other Games to compete in.

**auld argonian** · 25th January 10, 07:36 AM

Wow! While I'm certainly sorry that you'll have fewer chances to compete, I'm really concerned about all of these events being cancelled because of, I assume, these hard times. What's gonna be next? Rodeos?

Best

AA

**Panache** · 25th January 10, 08:11 AM

Alan,

We heard the news about the Dunsmuir Games at the Burns Night Supper this past Saturday. The F-H.C.A.G. and I were quite sad as it was such a lovely venue.

I think that this dearth of local highland games means that we really need to get the word out and support the ones that remain. Let's make sure we get the NCR to attend and get as many friends and family to come and enjoy them.

Cheers

Jamie :ootd:

**Semiomniscient** · 25th January 10, 08:22 AM

It's a shame. A lot of games have been cancelled of late. We lost ours in Louisiana due to the fact that it was being bankrolled mainly by a single man who couldn't afford it after the price of natural resources went down in the market. We tried to put on a mini-games in Baton Rouge without sanctioned competition but just had some games demonstrations and entertainment--but we got rained on and moved everything inside except the games. Attendance was poor... the Scottish ancestry in Louisiana just isn't what it is elsewhere in the Americas.

It would be nice to see some of these folks get together and try to combine their efforts, but from what I've seen about adults "working together" it so rarely happens.

Another option would be to take the whole thing down a level and run Games on a "shoestring" and spend as little as possible and have it be a little more rustic.

**Smayniac** · 25th January 10, 08:47 AM

This is really too bad. Scooby and I enjoyed Dunsmuir last year alot. We'll have to move Woodland higher on our list for April. I've never been able to make Campbell even though it's my most local event but I've always wanted to go.

Bob

**auld argonian** · 25th January 10, 09:38 AM

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

**Farlander** · 25th January 10, 10:18 AM

Add to this list, last year the "Loch Lomond Highland Games" in Ben Lomond being canceled, and it is not a pretty picture. Gone are the days of being able to go to a Scottish/Celtic event once or twice a month.

**Galician** · 25th January 10, 11:11 AM

You can add to the list the Celebration of Celts, which had been held near Albany, N.Y. The really bad weather which hit during that time in 2008, ensured that it would not be held last year. It seems to be gone forever.

**Chainsaw02** · 25th January 10, 12:33 PM

As a past Executive Director of highland games and scottish festivals I have seen the hardships of this endever. The sponsorships, both private and corporate have all but dried up. Volenteers are even harder to locate. A games can only cut costs so far and still put on a games that will draw the general public to your venue. We have put on a quaility event with world record-breaking athletes, excellant entertainment, childrens games, grade two and three pipe bands, highland dance competition, animals, and more and still managed to loose large amounts of money.

As a non-profit scottish cultural society we cannot afford to continue to do this. The good news is that games such as Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in NC and Stone Mountain Highland Games in AL still seem to be able to continue to put on a quality show with good attendence. As things usually do, I believe the cycle will turn around and the smaller local games will return. If not remember the good times and enjoy what we have.

Larry Dirr, FSA Scot