What gets you to walk in the gate?

[Macman]

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) I've been going to Highland Games for years. I always go the the local games, and then games further afield on occasion.

B) I go for the whole experience of the games, to play in our band, to watch my daughter dance, to shop, to watch the piping and band competitions, to run into friends and to pop in on the beer garden.

C) My favourite things, in order, are just walking around, playing in the massed bands, and the pipe band competitions.

[Mark E.]

[QUOTE=Alan H;1025820]OK, here's my question. All right, there's three of them.

A.) Regular at some.

B.) Being with friends, answering the call to the blood, hear the pipes...

C.) #1-FUNNEL CAKE!! (well, #1 and #2 sorta can be switched) #2 Pipes (watching) #3 Athletics (watching)

I haven't seen mead yet-beer yes, and occasionally whisky, in a controlled environment.

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[dutchy kilted]

1. Been to more than I can count, all over the East Coast

2. usually to see one or more bands that I like, and to hear new ones

3. Pipes, pipers, piping

[CDNSushi]

A.) Four years running. (Tokyo, Japan Highland Games)

B.) I've made some friends, and it's kind of neat to re-visit with them once a year and catch up on each others' lives.

C.) 1. Food/Drink (specifically: scotch, ales, haggis, pies, etc...) 2. People & Music & atmosphere, 3. Watching the heavy events

[Cowher]

A.)As of last year I am a regular Highland Games attendee.

B.) It's nice to have a opportunity to wear your kilt and you know your not going to turn a head. I also love to see the shopping stands. Keep in mind I have only ever bought one pair of claret hose (the price was right). and my favorite thing to do is to grab a few pints and watch the heavy athletics.

C.) (1)Wearing a kilt without drawing attention
(2)drinking a few beers and watching the competitions
(3)looking at the shops and thinking of ways I could make a boat load of cash.
ith:

[OC Richard]

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 regular attendee. I've attended nearly every year of the Santa Monica/Long Beach/Pomona/Costa Mesa Games since the mid-1970s, of the Santa Rosa/Pleasanton Games since the late 1970s.

I also attend the San Diego/Vista Games, the Las Vegas Games, and the West Virginia/Bridgeport Games every year.

I've also been to various Games in other places: Stone Mountain, Grandfather Mountain, Alexandria (Virginia), Bridge of Allan (Scotland), North Berwick (Scotland), and The World Pipe Band Championships (Glasgow Green, Scotland).

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

It's mostly the fact that I play in Pipe Bands. But, in years when I was not playing in a band, I still attended, for the camaraderie amongst old friends whom I only see at Games.

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

1 play in Pipe Bands/listen to the other Pipe Bands
2 renew old friendships/make new friends
3 check out the vendors.

[Baldybrown]

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.) Went to three this summer and I will go to as many as possible from now on.
B.) I go for all of those reasons plus the fact that it's the closest I can get to Scotland without paying for a plane ticket. One other reason, I have really enjoyed meeting other xmarkers. Does anyone have too many friends?
C.) I love the Ren-Scots, the food, and games, but I defy anybody to keep from choking up when they hear 200 pipers playing Amazing Grace.

[eclarkhb]

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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Great questions! I just attended my 1st ever Games and had a great time! So...

A) First timer

B) I enjoy throwing. Really had a great time & although I wasn't planning on it, I met some super nice people - it was really a great environment, both on the athletic field, in the Clan Tents & all over the place. Awesome experience.

C) Well I was on the field competing for most of the day, so didn't get to do alot, but here goes:
1) Throwing heavy things
2) The people
3) The Meat Pie I had for lunch ;-)

[O'Callaghan]

I went to one in Scotland once, or may be twice, with Scottish cousins. It was very different from anything in the US. No admission charge, no food or drink, but everyone had their own flask of whisky. Nothing else going on atall other than the athletics, which actually held my attention. One thing was the same, though - I'm pretty sure most of the men attending didn't wear a kilt the rest of the year!

Here in the US I go to Irish and celtic festivals rather than highland games. I have no Scottish blood, although my wife has. I have offered to go to some Scottish events if she would come too, but she doesn't care to.

The local celtic festival does have highland games, though. I don't know if the Scottish athletes were better, or perhaps it's just that I am older and men throwing telephone poles has lost it's novelty, but I can't pretend that I find that part of it all that rivetting.

I am more interested in the food and drink, the things sold by the various vendors, and just hanging out in a kilt. At the celtic festival I am more than happy to combine Scottish food such as haggis or a bridie with Irish beer!

[Jock Scot]

I can't help with American Highland games, but I cannot help but agree with O'Callaghan's amusing description of Scottish Highland Games, which on the whole, are best avoided at all costs. Even if you have finished mowing the lawn, cleaning out the kennels, mucking out the stable, polishing the car, dusting the house and you really cannot think of anything else to do!