SEPTEMBER 23-29, 2009 UCW 15
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM
When the last caber was tossed at the Flora McDonald Highland
Games, local residents feared they would have to travel to the mountains to
participate or see the annual games that
keep the Scots culture alive and well in
our region.
But thanks to the good people in
Scotland, you can save your gas and
the price of accommodations and take
a short drive down to Laurinburg to
celebrate all things Scottish. The fi rst
Scotland County Highland Games will
be held Oct. 2-4 on the grounds of the
John Blue Home and Historical Complex
in Laurinburg (www.johnbluecomplex.
com). This site contains the John
Blue Home and several other historic
Scottish-American homesteads as well as
a working ante-bellum cotton gin, and
a general store. The games site provides
an immersion into the Scottish-American
historical experience of this region.
Organizers of the games are paying
tribute to their ancestry, as the Upper
Cape Fear and Pee Dee regions of the
Carolinas were home to the largest
settlement of Highland Scots in all of
North America. The Scotland County
Highland Games, Inc. strives to provide
a celebration of this rich heritage within
the region.
According to the Web site, a full spectrum of events will be offered at the
inaugural Games. Clan and Society tents, quality vendors, fi ve pipe bands,
amateur athletic competitions, Scottish dance demonstrations and EUSPBA
sanctioned solo piping and drumming competitions will be offered, in addition
to Scottish musical entertainment, sheep dog
demonstrations, and special children's athletic
events where all participants can wear a kilt
provided by us.
The event kicks-off on Friday, Oct. 2
with a sponsor's reception at the St. Andrews
Presbyterian College Scottish Heritage Center
from 4:30 to 7 p.m.
On Saturday, the game fi elds open at 8 a.m. at
the John Blue Home and Historical Complex. The
Scottish athletic competitions begin at 9 a.m., as
well as the solo piping and drumming competitions.
The opening ceremonies, where everyone will
proudly display their plaid will be at 11 a.m, and
will include massed pipe bands. Closing ceremonies
are at 4:30 p.m.
Athletic events include the open stone throw,
the heavy weight throw, the light weight throw, the
Scottish hammer throw, the caber toss, the sheaf
toss and the weight over the bar. At 7:30 p.m. A
ceilidh (which means party) and wine tasting will
be held at Cypress Bend Vineyards, 21904 Riverton
Rd., Wagram, N.C. There is an admission charge at
the door.
The event wraps up on Sunday, oct. 4 at the
Historic Old Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church,
15301 McFarland Rd. in Laurinburg, with the
traditional Kirkin' of the Tartans Worship Service.
Admission to the games is $5 for adults and $1 for children ages 5-12. For
more information, visit the Web sit at www.schgnc.org.
Scottish Games
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