What features make a clan tent appealing and engaging

[Thomas H]

The nice Welcome and letting people know you care what they are asking . Free food out front -things for the kids ,
I love when the kids ask if they can touch the helmets and we say * Yes* they get a smile and grab it and put the helmets on .
We just enjoy the time spent at the tents



They like to take pictures with the shield and helmet on too

[creagdhubh]

A "less is more" mentality and having only what I require in order to help facilitate conversation with prospective clan association members has always been my approach in hosting a clan tent. A hospitable, knowledgeable and informative respresentative of the clan is a must.

Cheers,

[sydnie7]

I don't know how widespread this practice is, but at Games in SoCal each clan tent has a stamp and ink pad with their clan crest. Children are given a large sheet of paper that has some basic clan info and (double-sided) blank grid where they can "collect" each clan's stamp. The kids drag their parents to each and every tent in order to fill in all the blanks with these interesting and colorful stamp designs. I've heard the suggestion thrown about that Staples or other office supply places will laminate the sheet for about $3, making a fun placemat.

There's an old thread where I posted pics of every clan tent at one of our smaller Games but I can't find it right now. I probably still have them on Photobucket and would be happy to send them to you privately if you're interested.

[Thomas H]

Here is a link to a small thread on first time tent conveying
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...avalier-73634/

[masonpiper]

Nice topic and one I may be the heretic on, I am not a fan of most clan tents or the people that run them. This attitude was developed as a piper at highland games and gatherings all over the western US and some to the east. I like the games in the UK. they are more participant oriented, I remember at the Perth games, they had monster trucks in the arena and the culture was very cool.
In the US. I kept coming across the same 3 stereotypes at the clan tents, the joiners, the “can’t be bothered” and the interesting. The Joiners were worse than bad used car salesmen always pushing you to join the clan association and the St. Andrews and the Burn’s club and this and that, nice, but never really answering you questions until after you signed and then only until the next victim/member approaches. They were a small minority but very off putting and some even ignored you when they found out you were not a member of their clan. The interesting are as Chas said, unfortunately they seem to be very much the smallest minority. The largest group I have come across are the “can’t be bothered”, you approach their tent, because the joiner at the last one pointed them out to you as the correct one for you to join, and when you walk up there a 5 people sitting in the rear of the tent. They are chatting and having a grand old time, you are polite and wait for a break in the conversation, but it never happens, they look at you and go back to the conversation. Being polite, you say excuse me and ask about the clan, one of the members points to a brochure and says that’s the application if you want to join and then points to a flyer and says that’s the raffle we are having and goes back to talking with her friends. Meanwhile and guy gets up asks you are you from the lumptom or cumpton side of the clan, cuz if you are from the wrong one you need to go see that clan over there because that’s where you really belong and then he sits down and resumes the conversation.
All of that being said, it is usually the non-clan tents like, SAMS, St. Andrews, and Regional Associations that I have had consistent good interaction with across the nation. My wife who is very proud of her Clan and it’s history has been turned off by the staffing at various confederation booths around the nation, to the point she does not even go around the tent to see what is happening anymore, and it’s a shame.
I realize this is more of a rant and I do hope you can take some lesson from my experiences.
Peace all

[Thomas H]

Yes you are very right ( masonpiper ) I have seen this too - But please note we in the US
Are not all like that - But I have learned from others mistakes ,in order to do better .
I understand what you mean .
I am not sure we could get monster trucks in the smaller games - But was thinking of
Big foot going up stone mountain would be fun to watch LOL

[masonpiper]

True and I need to reemphasis that there are tents that do well. My first kilt was in Red Wallace, a band kilt in honor of Lew Wallace, a territorial governor of New Mexico. I was walking around at one of the western games and was accosted by the people from the Wallace tent. When they found out it was a band and not a family tartan, they still brought me into the tent, hoisted a dram, and at every games treated our band as honored guests and clan members, this is how I though clan tents should be. On the other side of the coin, I had a kilt that reflected my NFL team’s colors dramatically and loved wearing it to the pub for games. I wore it to a games and again was stopped by a member of that clan, who when they found out I was wearing it because it was in my team colors and I had NO relation to the clan, proceeded to chastise me all weekend and enlisted others from the clan tent to continue "my education" for all 3 days I was there. In the late 90s, when this happened I was a member of TECA and enjoyed working with people searching for a tartan, but this soured me on the whole enchilada, I still love my kilts and wear them all the time, but games are for friends, music and schlock now.

[scabd]

Thank you for the comments so far. Please let me summarise what I think you have all said.
1. If you don't have a smile and a genuine welcome, the rest doesn't count.
2. Have visual aids, clan specific if possible, eg photo of clan castles, etc
3. Have things people can tactilely engage with, eg helmets, targes, kilts, etc
4. Have reference material, eg a clan map of Scotland, tartan book, clan book listing septs, etc
5. Demonstrate hospitality, eg a cup of tea, a piece of tablet, a wee dram, etc
6. Provide props to create photo opportunities

Is this what attracts and engages people at clan tents? If one couldn't do everything, is this the priority order?
Are these the things that clan tents are judged upon at Gatherings?

[MizzouScotsman]

Thank you for the comments so far. Please let me summarise what I think you have all said.
1. If you don't have a smile and a genuine welcome, the rest doesn't count. - YES
2. Have visual aids, clan specific if possible, eg photo of clan castles, etc - YES
3. Have things people can tactilely engage with, eg helmets, targes, kilts, etc - YES (especially kids. Kids old and young enjoy hands on things like targes and axes)
4. Have reference material, eg a clan map of Scotland, tartan book, clan book listing septs, etc - YES, education is what breeds the next generation of tent caretakers
5. Demonstrate hospitality, eg a cup of tea, a piece of tablet, a wee dram, etc - YES
6. Provide props to create photo opportunities - YES, nothing a dad likes better than to take a picture with his iPhone of his son holding a sword and a targe. Heck, even the moms get a kick out of it.

Is this what attracts and engages people at clan tents? If one couldn't do everything, is this the priority order?
Are these the things that clan tents are judged upon at Gatherings?

The most important thing of all, is you have to love it. People can tell you're passionate about your heritage. Sitting at the back of a tent chatting shows you don't care much. I rarely sit at the tent. Only time is when I've been up most of the day and I need a water break (it was almost 100 here in June in KC during the Highland games here) and it got bad at times with the black shirt on...lol.

[creagdhubh]

The most important thing of all, is you have to love it. People can tell you're passionate about your heritage. Sitting at the back of a tent chatting shows you don't care much. I rarely sit at the tent.

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I couldn't agree more!