What gets you to walk in the gate?

[sp00ky]

A.) Regular Highland Games attendee - however I only have so far attended the Maxville Highland Games (but I go every year).

B.) Share love of my heritage with my family.

C.) Athletics in the morning, pipe competitions and vendors in the afternoon, massed bands in the evening. (Beer tent all day)

Scott

[piperdown]

OK, here's my question. All right, there's three of them.

A.) Are you a regular Highland Games attendee, or a first-timer/haven't been yet, or a "sort-of now-and-then" attendee?

B.) Why do you go? Is it an activity, being with friends, supporting family, competing, curiosity?

C.) What are your favorite three things to do/see/participate in at the Games?
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NOTE: I am not trying to get people to go watch athletics. I am asking for a completely different reason, so just because I'm an athlete, please do not skew your answer towards athletics, if in fact you aren't terribly interested in athletics.

A.)SInce I joined the band 5 years ago, I am a regular.

B.) I go to compete as a piper and as of last year, with the band. I am also on the games executive now and run the haggis toast and tasting as well as the haggis toss competition (no live haggis are harmed during this event).

C.) My three favourite things are 1) seeing how excited the kids get when it's their turn to toss the haggis. 2) competing solo and with the band. 3) listening to Grade 1 SFU play...they are amazing to listen too live.


Great post BTW...

[Father Bill]

Attend when I can depending on personal schedules.

I love the pipes, the dancing, and looking for that rare item in the booths. Unfortunately, a lot of the companies only bring their most common items. Kind of silly, considering that most of the folks who come to the highland games probably have access to the more common items and are looking for the "rare find."

[Gryphon57]

A. Attended my first this year. Can't wait to go to more, but there is only one local and the nearest others are in Texas. I would love to make the trip down, but life and work sort of get in the way.

I've been in Missouri for a year and a half, but your comment about only 1 is curious. Your profile shows OKC has home. So that would be Iron Thistle as the local? It's Edmond, but what's a few mile. Stillwater Celt Fest is a newcomer, but Roger Graham is trying to make it bigger and better every year. Tulsa has the largest in the immediate area. I haven't been as happy at the new location at the Riveer Parks, but it is still a decent event. The Friday night Fire Ceremony and Calling of the Clans is a bit of a party and has had live entertainment the last time I was there. I will allow that the next closest event is McPherson and it would be a bit of a drive from OKC, but still doable.

[Gryphon57]

A.) Are you a regular Highland Games attendee, or a first-timer/haven't been yet, or a "sort-of now-and-then" attendee?

Only missed a couple years of the local Games & Gathering in the last 20 years.

B.) Why do you go? Is it an activity, being with friends, supporting family, competing, curiosity?

Usually go with friends to show them the pipes, the bandsd, the vendors, the clan tents, and all the things that stir the soul of a Celt. Now I can show these things to both of my grandsons (2 & 4 now, the oldest went last year and loved it)

C.) What are your favorite three things to do/see/participate in at the Games?

The bands, both pipe and entertainment. The food: a chance to restock my HP sauce, and eat meat pies and sample stouts. The vendors: See products in person that you aren't sure of on the net and seeing things you didn't know you had to have.

[GoodGirlGonePlaid]

A.) Are you a regular Highland Games attendee, or a first-timer/haven't been yet, or a "sort-of now-and-then" attendee?
I've been to 3, total. I competed (athletics) in one last week.
B.) Why do you go? Is it an activity, being with friends, supporting family, competing, curiosity?
I like the atmosphere. It's just nice doing anything (shopping, browsing, eating, drinking) against the backdrop of bagpipes.
C.) What are your favorite three things to do/see/participate in at the Games?
• I loved throwing heavy things. So much fun and it makes me feel way more bada$$ than the other preschool moms. Great camaraderie on the field!
•Meeting friendly, fun people with a shared love of tartan.
•To quote my friend, "checking out the Hottie McKilties"

Hey Alan, you didn't answer your own questions.

[EagleJCS]

OK, here's my question. All right, there's three of them.

A.) Are you a regular Highland Games attendee, or a first-timer/haven't been yet, or a "sort-of now-and-then" attendee?

B.) Why do you go? Is it an activity, being with friends, supporting family, competing, curiosity?

C.) What are your favorite three things to do/see/participate in at the Games?
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A) I suppose I could be considered a regular. I have been to the two (now three) Kentucky Games on a regular basis since 2001.

B) I go to compete with the pipe band. I also help to run the P&D contests at two of the Games I go to.

C) I don't get a chance to get away from the P&D tent except for the time I'm warming up & competing, so I don't really do anything else when I'm at the two Games where I help out. The third Games that I go to but don't help run is tiny and had maybe 10 clans and about as many vendors this past year. Mostly it was the artsy-type stuff aimed at the fairer sex (jewelry, dresses, etc.), so that doesn't really compel me to browse. I think they're folding and won't be back next year (that's the rumor, from a fairly reliable source).

[robthehiker]

A.) Are you a regular Highland Games attendee, or a first-timer/haven't been yet, or a "sort-of now-and-then" attendee?

sort-of now-and-then

B.) Why do you go? Is it an activity, being with friends, supporting family, competing, curiosity?

expose the kids to culture and pagentry

C.) What are your favorite three things to do/see/participate in at the Games?

visiting vendors, people-watching, generally enjoying nice day to be alive and wearing a kilt

[jhockin]

A.) Are you a regular Highland Games attendee, or a first-timer/haven't been yet, or a "sort-of now-and-then" attendee?

A: as regular as time and $ allows

B.) Why do you go? Is it an activity, being with friends, supporting family, competing, curiosity?

A: "The Pipes, the pipes are calling": meet new friends/x-markers & share a pint or twa; cruise the scotch, clan & shop tents

C.) What are your favorite three things to do/see/participate in at the Games?

A: (see answer to B, above )

[Santa Wally]

OK, here's my question. All right, there's three of them.

A.) Are you a regular Highland Games attendee, or a first-timer/haven't been yet, or a "sort-of now-and-then" attendee?

B.) Why do you go? Is it an activity, being with friends, supporting family, competing, curiosity?

C.) What are your favorite three things to do/see/participate in at the Games?

A. Regular at games that are within reasonable travel from where I am at the time in Florida, Tennessee, New York state.

B. Visiting/working the Clan Wallace tent, Clan Claus Society tent, enjoying the pipe bands.

C. The Clan tents, vendors and meeting up with XMarkers and friends