Highland games in Finland

[Kylahullu]

Hi!
Found this: Fiskars Village games: http://games.fiskarsvillage.fi/en/highland-games
There will even be Pipes and Drums: http://www.bagpipe.fi/engl_index.html

I did not know we had these in Finland. Anyone going there?

[ctbuchanan]

I would love to attend a highland games in Finland. Just added that to my bucket list. What a great idea.

[daveinfinland]

The games are being organised by the Fiskars company(makers of scissors to axes and spades).
They're having 3 main events: caber, sheaf toss and stone put.
Myself and a friend have taken on sorting out catering and side events for families.
A shop in Helsinki actually sells cases of Barr's Irn Bru and other drinks so it'll be the drink of the games(and probably hangover cure after). We've got a local restaurant to produce some lamb/beef sausages and bridies and a kiosk on site with a drinks license will be serving a nice dark beer on tap from the local small independent brewery.
We've ordered in some tartan tammies and glengarries(of the musical and ginger haired 'jimmy' variety) and kilt towels etc. I've been tasked with turning out a large quantity of tablet and macaroon bars. In addition to this I'll be knocking up a haggis and a skirlie filling for making battered fritters.
A haggis tossing competition will be there for the kids.
The Scottish lads from around the southern part of Finland will be there in their kilts of course.
Here's hoping it doesn't chuck it down.
Note: the Finnish girls have a thing for the Scottish accent. And the kilt.

[Kylahullu]

...
Note: the Finnish girls have a thing for the Scottish accent. And the kilt.

Well, I have the kilt. Maybe I should start working on the Scottish accent...

I am trying to make it there myself. Maybe not there on the beginning of the event but a bit later.

[Kylahullu]

Attended the games as a spectator and took a couple of pictures as an evident that something happened. Here was @daveinfinland frying some haggis-type meatballs (I heard the name of those but it did not stuck in my mind.)


Then some participants waiting for their turn for the caber:


Some kilted spectators:


Nice pleats:


Different styles for the sheaf toss:



There was a group of young gents (I think they were from Norway) who had don the only type of "kilt" that was on sale there; a tartan towel. Here having some advice for tactics:


(to be continued)

[Kylahullu]

Some gents admiring the Scottish merchandise:


Last stages of the stone run:


It was a very warm-hearted happening. The participants had a lot of laughs and seemed to be happy succeeded they or not. Saw a lot of different interpretations of the kilt. Some can be seen in the pictures.

[daveinfinland]

Haggis, neep and tattie fritters. To roll the Burns Supper up into one nice, neat, easy to eat package. Seemed to go down well. Even the vegetarian version using localy picked forest mushrooms was warmly received. It was the first proper gathering of kilts and 'kilts' I've been to in Finland. It won't be the last I'm sure. And very nice to meet you there too, my kilted Finnish friend. Incidentally, the Norwegian lads were on their annual 'mystery trip' that they save up for each year and take turns at organising. The two lads who organised the visit to the Fiskars Games told their friends to pack light and trousers wouldn't be needed. They also won 1st 2nd and 3rd places in the competition. Prizes were Fiskars finest axes. I wonder how they managed getting those through in their hand luggage on the flight back.

[ASinclair]

Great pictures; thanks for sharing Kylahullu.