Author Topic: 21st Annual Scotland (CT) Highland Festival  (Read 10179 times)

Stirling Thompson

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21st Annual Scotland (CT) Highland Festival
« on: October 13, 2008, 11:10:44 AM »
Greetings from Scotland! Connecticut that is! Yesterday Dottie and I attended the 21st Annual Scotland CT Highland Festival. The weather was absolutely beautiful (which apparently is unusual for these games as they get rain most years). The festival is held on the grounds of the historic Edward Waldo Homestead in Scotland CT. It is a one day event with activities starting at 8 AM and going until 5 PM. The festival features solo piping and drumming competitions, Scottish dance competitions, and Scottish heavy athletics events. In addition to the pipe bands, this year featured entertainment by McTalla Mor (Celtic rockers), Charlie Zahm, Harp Circle, and storytellers Jerry and Nancy Bell. And for the animal lovers there were sheepdog demonstrations, Highland Cattle, and, of course, a Bonnie Knees Contest. The Clans were well represented in the Clan Village with several Reiver Clans in attendence.

We arrived around 9:30 in the morning and took the convenient shuttle bus to the grounds and right where they dropped us off were the Highland cattle. If you've never seen them they really are adorable short and shaggy but with good disposition. They had a 3 month old calf that you'd want to take home it was so cute. We wondered around the vendor tents and through the Clan Village chatting with folks manning the tents until it was time for the opening ceremonies at noon. There were three pipe bands for the parade and the Scottish Military Association provided the color guard followed by all the clans and when everyone had marched in they had the invocation and Charlie Zahm sang the National Anthem and then the roll call of the clans. After it was time for time for lunch then back to socializing. I partook in a toast to Clan Thompson at the Clan McKay tent since the gentlemen there were among the organizers of the event and I wanted to ask about a tent for us next year. I gave them my name and address and I'll be on their mailing list for next year when they send the invites out in May. We'll see what happens with that. We enjoyed the entertainment and the chats and had a wonderful day in Scotland. It is a small event but very well attended and we look forward to going back next year. I tooks some pics but I hadn't cleared the camera from earlier stuff so ended up filling the card much to soon. For official info and pics you can visit their website at www.scotlandgames.org which I'm sure will be updated soon photos from this year.
Semper Fidelis! Semper Familia!
Stu

Donna

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Re: 21st Annual Scotland (CT) Highland Festival
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2008, 12:12:23 PM »
Hey Stu,
Please post your photos when you get a chance.  I making a little scrap book of the Clan Thompson Society fun stuff.

Donna
ANY DAY ABOVE GROUND IS A GOOD DAY !

Stirling Thompson

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Re: 21st Annual Scotland (CT) Highland Festival
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2008, 05:04:54 AM »
Donna, How and where? I don't have much experience posting photos. If I can figure out how do you want the ones from the Maine games I went to in August?
« Last Edit: October 15, 2008, 05:11:55 AM by Stirling Thompson »
Semper Fidelis! Semper Familia!
Stu

Donna

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Re: 21st Annual Scotland (CT) Highland Festival
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2008, 09:41:54 AM »
Boy, this is the blind leading the blind!   Can anyone help Stu post his photos so we can all enjoy them??

Donna
ANY DAY ABOVE GROUND IS A GOOD DAY !

Mary

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Re: 21st Annual Scotland (CT) Highland Festival
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2008, 12:35:29 PM »
Well, what I do is upload them to ImageShack.com.  You make a free account and then you can upload your pics. Once they're up (and you will probably want to resize them on the upload screen (there's an option there))  you can select the picture you want and the purpose......website, forum, blog, etc.  Look on the right hand side of the ImageShack screen and you'll see the word ACTION at the top of a list...... in the list, select "Get Code for Forums."  Now a pop-up box....well, pops up!  Copy the code from the top half of the box and insert it into your forum post where you want the picture.  Now, click and PREVIEW your post and make sure it shows up. If it doesn't, remove that code from your post and try the code in the LOWER half of the popup box.  It has always worked for me.........and if it doesn't, I'm stumped!

Mary


Barbara

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Re: 21st Annual Scotland (CT) Highland Festival
« Reply #5 on: October 19, 2008, 07:50:22 PM »
Stu, thank you for the post on the CT Highland Festival.  Since none of us can attend all the Games and Festivals it helps to have these posts, and you made it sound very interesting.

Barbara
"Kindness is the language the deaf can hear and the blind can see." - Mark Twain