Virginia Scottish Games, Plains, VA, Labor Day Weekend.....

[Mael Coluim]

I offer the Clan MacCallum Malcolm Tent for an official XMTS Meet Up on both days @2 PM. The wee XMTS Saltire Quaich will host a warm greeting of "uisge beatha".

Don't be too much in a hurry to wander off from our "Meet Up". After our "Hamish" pose photo for prosperity sake's there will be a wee whisky tasting.

Last year's "Hamish".


For the whisky tasting


Deireanach's Quaich & Uisge Beatha

[Madadh]

We are planning to be there tomorrow, and Deireanach will be happy to be included.

[ThistleAndHarp]

Though but a newbie on this forum, I will be attending (and have done so for the last four years). I'd be very pleased to make your acquaintances. Very much looking forward to it!

[Mael Coluim]

And are we meeting you, ThistleAndHarp!

[CollinMacD]

Hear I sit thinking about this past week end, meeting up with so many old and new friends. So, yes it was one hot and humid week-end, so far removed from the cool and cloudy days of the Highlands. This is my account of the Virginia Highland Games, so I hope you enjoy reading the review. First the weather was not our friend this year, but was not our enemy, well at least during the days. Saturday started out very humid and overcast. The skies were threatening, but nothing dropped from the sky. By 10:30 AM the sun made intermittent appearances and it was sunny, then cloudy then sunny again. This only managed to drive the humidity, and temperature to the mid to high 90's on the field. Of course every once and a while you would get that precious breeze off the Blue Ridge mountains, that felt so good. Did all of this heat and humidity impose the Scottish Spirit, NOT AT ALL. It was a celebration and the scotch flowed, the dancers danced, the athletes performed their sports, the piper and drums played, and they sold a lot of ice cream. There was a rainbow of tartans, and many other types of kilts. From little kids to senior citizens, almost everyone was kilted folks of any and all types. Some were very interesting, and I think would give Jock a heart attack if he saw some of the styles. We had the Dragon Slayers, guys carrying claymores taller than them, and carrying an assortment of cutlery on their belts, over their shoulders, under their arms, under their hose, you get the picture. Then the Scottish Druids, witches, warlocks, the fantasy people. But the best were the well dressed Scotsman who knew the value of traditional dress. You had it all. So in a sense this is truly a celebration of our Scottish . Most of all everyone had a good time

I got to met up with Mael Coluim several times, and met several new people on the board. It was fun to see so many from this board here at this event. Saturday around 3:30 PM we left (been there since 9:00 AM), as the clouds started to thicken over the blue ridge, and I knew storms were headed in. So we decided to depart. By time I arrived home, about a 20 minute drive, it was raining and lightening/thundering, with a strong downpour.

We got ready for the next day, mainly showered and got a good night's sleep. Next day arrived, and I was there a little earlier as I had a very strong feeling the Donald Clan would need some help, and they did. Appears the storm destroyed one of their tents and we set up a tarp between the two remaining tents, and had to reset up the entire area including the flags, poster boards, banners, tables, chairs, literature, and so on. But with a hearty Scottish breakfast of a dram (or two) of Scotch, and a breakfast bar, the jobs got finished in time for the opening of the gates.

Evening thunderstorms raged through the fairground shortly after the fair closed, and many tents were destroyed during the storm. Had very heavy rain, and some clans had to pack up and leave as their tents were gone. There was a dumpster full of mangled and destroyed tents. However, by Sunday they organizers put hay and straw down, fixed the grounds, and clans helped each other reset their displays and tents. No vendors left, all remained and opened on time. Good teamwork among all.

So about the Virginia Games, pros and cons. Seemed like Saturday had more people than Sunday, yet the weather forecasters predicted scattered showers on Saturday, that never happened. Sunday it was sunny, hot, and humid, and the crowds really never materialized. Seems like the Virginia games are not producing the crowds they once did. I was very disappointed with the amount of people on Sunday. But to be fair, I saw NO publicity this year from the VA Scot Game organizers, and they seem to have internal problems filling various key positions of the board. So I think they need to take a good look at what they are doing and the first thing is to push the even back a week or two, as having it on Labor Day, I think cuts back on the crowds as most of DC goes to the beaches being the last summer weekend. Having the games on the second or third weekend in September would be much better for the people, and ADVERTISE the event. I did not see a single thing about the event. Next thing is their website is terrible, no real information on the event at all, you need updated photos and more information, don't depend upon FACEBOOK, many people rather not subscribe to FaceBook or other MEDIAS, go back to basics.

Overall the vendors were the same, a few this year was missing. I missed Scotia Arms, as Mr. McRae hurt himself in a fall and was unable to attend, and other than that same old vendors, this could use some improving too. My favorite bakeshop was there, and could not resist the oatmeal cookies. About the CLANS, I loved the way they set up the CLAN Tents this year, very good, except, DON"T put Clan Donald next to the Campbells, just does not work. One thing I noticed too was the amount of swords, claymores, daggers, and edged weapons, seems like almost every person had some type of blade, and to me that's an accident just ready to happen. Clan membership seemed down too. I was surprised on the Parade of the Clans, some clans only had one of two people, that is sad, in an area of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania we could not have more Clans people show up. Again, I think the Labor Day Weekend is bad.

OK, so were the games a downer, CERTAINLY NOT. the piper and bands were great, the dancers were very good, the Clans showed up and was well represented. The clan parades went off on time, NO RAIN during the games, hot yes, but plenty of water around, and the spirits remained high. I enjoyed every second of the event. Good Job to the sponsors, and I only hope you do improve on publicity, and move the date back, should avoid a holiday weekend in DC.


I will try to post some photos soon. CHEERS.







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