How was your Highland Games/Festival Season?

**A Hay** · 15th October 12, 04:58 AM

2012 has been a great Highland Games/Festival season for me. I retired to SW Michigan last October and I'm finding that there are a lot of events in this part of the mid-west.
I managed to attend seven venues this summer Alma, MI; Chicago, Ill; Waterloo, OH; Kalamazoo, MI; Livonia, MI; Estes Park, CO; and Indianapolis, IN. There were several others I would have liked to attend, including Ft. Wayne, IN and St. Louis, MO but just could not fit into the schedule. I met a number of X Marks the Scot members and Clan Hay members as well.

I'm ready to start planning for next year!

How has your season been?

Tom

**David Thorpe** · 15th October 12, 05:49 AM

A big Kyle ***, Tom!
This was my first summer as an active games participant, manning our clan tent. We attended Bridgeport, WV; Wellington, OH; Livonia, MI; Columbus, IN; Indy and the Ohio Renaissance Festival. I also met many kinsfolk (and signed up a few with our clan association) and quite a few Xmarkers as well; visited with some old friends and made some new ones.
Plans for next year include Bridgeport, Wellington, Ohio Ren Fair, Indy and Columbus, IN which will include our association AGM. If the games are held at Lancaster, Ohio we'll be there as well.
Time now to shift gears. I have 5 kilts and two jackets in the queue, so it will be a busy winter.

**piperdbh** · 15th October 12, 06:29 AM

Short. I've only attended Grandfather Mountain this year so far, but I plan to go to a new games not far away in November.

**creagdhubh** · 15th October 12, 07:14 AM

Well done, Tom! This year, we only managed to attend the Kentucky Scottish Weekend, the Missouri Tartan Day Festival, and the St. Louis Scottish Games. Next year, we are definitely planning to attend the Missouri Tartan Day Festival, the St. Louis Scottish Games, Glasgow Highland Games, Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, and Stone Mountain Highland Games. We may try to squeeze in some others, but the aforementioned events are the "premiere" games and gatherings in which we will attend for 2013.

Cheers,

**artificer** · 15th October 12, 07:20 AM

Our Games season was pretty good. Milwaukee's Games were insanely hot (as always), but the Wisconsin Games were quite clement. I work a shift at our local St. Andrew's Society tent at each games.

I always miss Chicago, as it's Father's Day Weekend and I always have plans.

ith:

**Tobus** · 15th October 12, 07:41 AM

Our season isn't over yet. It's just now getting cool enough to be bearable out-of-doors. The Salado Highland Games (in Salado, TX) is coming up on November 10th. And it'll probably still be too warm to wear a jacket all day long.

**David Thorpe** · 15th October 12, 08:52 AM

Originally Posted by creagdhubh

Next year, we are definitely planning to attend the Missouri Tartan Day Festival, the St. Louis Scottish Games, Glasgow Highland Games, Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, and Stone Mountain Highland Games.

Hmmm... Looks like if we want to see you and Steph next summer, I'll need to fire up the BBQ pit and stock up on Guinness. We'll figure out a date that fits both schedules.

**ctbuchanan** · 15th October 12, 09:12 AM

I had a very good year. Convened the Buchanan Clan tent at Rhode Island last Spring, the New Hampshire Highland Games and Scotland, CT Highland Games. I also attended the games in Livonia, MI for our society AGM which was very hot and the Maine Highland Games for the first time in many years. We had bigger crowds than we have seen in a while at most of the games and word is attendance at the NHHG was the best it's been since the 90's - the weather was perfect and Saturday was insanely busy.