Scotland, CT Highland Festival

[Stirling Thompson]

Clan Thom(p)son was represented at the 2011 Scotland, CT Highland Festival last weekend. The Scotland games are small but but my personal favorite since they are very intimate in their setting and are closest to me geographically being only an hour from home. The weather was absolutely beautiful with lots of sun and temperatures in the low 80s.

Scotland is the final games of the season for me and the New England area and we couldn't have asked for anything better except for maybe greater participation. Scotland has always been a small games but this year we only had two pipe bands in attendance and only around twenty-five clans. Of course there was the usual dance and athletic competitions, entertainment and demos and everyone had a great time. My wife had to work so it was just my brother Ray and I manning the tent which always makes it difficult to get around the grounds to see what's going on but I did manage a quick walk about. We also got drafted into the Bonnie Knees Contest but didn't win although I did score 27 out of 30 points!
 
Here are the few pics I managed to take:





















Signed up for a Photobucket account so now I do a better job posting my pics from the games.

[Parker Thomson]

That's a real nice tent set-up. Good job!

[Mary]

Well, Stu......you've done us proud again (as usual!).  Great pictures and nice setting. It was interesting that clans and bands were down there....the Glasgow, KY Highland Games that we always do in June USED TO BE big games with lots of bands and clans.........this past June, there was ONE band and the clans were about 75% of the normal. The crowd was down also (although, to be fair, it's usually hovering around 100 degrees there and this year didn't disappoint  )  I'd love to make it to New England for a games some time - it's just so darn far!

The tent looks super - I'm so glad your brother was able to come and help you. It's pretty awful when you are totally alone!

Could you tell if the attendance was up/down? Maybe not because you have a larger population in a small area???

Thanks again for doing such a bang-up job for the clan!

[Barbara]

Stu, I enjoy reading your write-ups and pictures of the Games you handle, thank you!

Barbara