Kilts, Clans and World-class Music

54th Annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games July 9 to 12

Story by Corinne Saunders

Even if you’re not of Scottish descent, even if you get uncomfortable at the thought of wearing a kilt, even if you have never considered throwing the hammer a legitimate sport—none of this matters.

The 54th annual Grandfather Mountain Games, scheduled from Thursday, July 9 to Sunday, July 12, at MacRae Meadows on Grandfather Mountain, is a celebration of Scottish heritage, to be sure, but also offers a unique chance for anyone and everyone to explore Gaelic culture as well as an exciting part of the area’s history.

“As soon as the Scots came to North Carolina, they would have started looking for familiar land and come here,” said Catherine Morton, marketing director for Grandfather Mountain.

In very early geological history, the same upheaval created both the Appalachian Mountains and the mountains in Scotland. Once part of the same mountain chain, the Atlantic Ocean rose between them, she said.

“We have a lot of the same plants and genetic material growing here on our mountains as they have [in Scotland],” Morton said.

The similarities don’t stop with the flora. Scottish music traditionally involves singing, flutes, bagpipes, drums, fiddles, guitars and other instruments, and musical genres attributed to Appalachia owe much to early Scottish influence.

About 30,000 people are expected to attend the Games over the four days, Morton said. Although most who attend the Games are from this state and nearby states, the event also attracts people from across the country and from Canada.

“The point of the event is to foster appreciation of Scottish heritage here in the States,” Morton said, adding that although not everything at the Games is done exactly as it was 10 centuries ago in Scotland, “we try to stay reverent.”

The event continues to grow as interest in Scottish ancestry grows.

“Because folks here are making a big deal out of their family lines, other people get interested in their heritage,” Morton said.

Oftentimes, those whose interest is sparked will research their Scottish lines and want to set up their own tent the following year to represent their family, she added.

A clan could be 10 or 15 names clustered underneath one surname. “It has to do with the alliances the tribes had 400 to 500 years ago. When one guy’s land needed defending, who showed up to defend it,” Morton said.

At the Games, the clans will gather and attendees will gain exposure to not only unique and strenuous athletic events but also some of the best Celtic music talents in the world.

At MacRae Meadows, the Celtic Music Jam happens Friday, July 10, from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. and Celtic Grove music performances will be ongoing during the day Saturday and Sunday, July 11 and 12. A Celtic Rock Concert will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 12.

“This year, everyone is out there looking for value,” Morton said. “Everyone wants their recreation and their leisure time. [The Games are] an opportunity to do something very foreign…get a lot of entertainment at a reasonable price and they can sleep in their own bed at night.”

Athletic events kick off Thursday, July 10, at 7:00 p.m. with The Bear, a five-mile footrace up Grandfather Mountain that climbs 1,578 feet in elevation.

The Grizzly bicycle ride begins at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 9, in Linville and ends on the track at Grandfather Mountain. The Grizzly climbs 7,000 feet in 65 miles and includes two miles of dirt road up the backside of Beech Mountain. With shutdown at 3:00 p.m., participants need to be able to finish in seven hours.

The Mountain Marathon, one of the nation’s most strenuous marathons, begins Saturday, July 11, at 7:00 a.m. in Boone.

Professional athletes will participate in traditional Games athletic events on Saturday. For those interested in testing their brawn, a Highland Wrestling clinic for children will be held Friday, and heavy athletic demonstrations and clinic will be held Sunday at 8:00 a.m.

Traditional Scottish athletic events include turning the caber, tossing the sheaf, throwing the hammer, putting the stone and weight throws. Turning the caber began as an essential skill to make a bridge to cross a river or to scale a castle wall in battles. Today, it involves throwing a tree trunk the size and shape of a telephone pole end over end, Morton said. The athlete’s caber landing closest to the 12:00 position receives the best score.

Tossing the sheaf originated in filling a barn with hay, and involves throwing a 15-pound bag of hay higher and higher.

Throwing the hammer started in blacksmith shops, Morton said. Athletes twirl a 16- or 22-pound hammer around in a circle and let it go, aiming for distance.

Putting the stone is the origin of shot put, but the Scottish version uses an actual stone that weighs 28 pounds.

Weight throw competitions involve 28- or 56-pound weights thrown either for distance or for height.

Scottish Dance and Music Options, Away from MacRae Meadows
Several options exist for those who don’t desire to deal with the crowds at MacRae Meadows but still want to taste Scottish traditional music and dance.

Ceilidh (pronounced “kay-lee”), the Scottish Country Dance Gala and Alex Beaton & Friends are all off-site events. They require separate ticket purchases, available only at the door.

Ceilidh is a concert-style Scottish folk celebration featuring different vocalists and instruments, Morton said.

“Before the end of the evening, there will be a sing-along where everyone will be taught the songs,” Morton said. “It’s very much a family event.”

Organized by Flora MacDonald Gammon, Ceilidh is held from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the Hayes Auditorium at Lees-McRae College on both Friday and Saturday, July 10 and 11. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under.

The Scottish Country Dance Gala happens from 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. at Reynolds Gym at Lees-McRae College. Ted and Marilyn Blaschke, along with director Elizabeth Barnes, are from the Thistle School of Scottish Country Dance in Washington, D.C., and will lead the dance. A fun learning experience, the dances “are very lovely,” Morton said. “They’re folk dances, the kind of dances farmers and simple folk would do.”

The Scottish Country Dance Gala costs $25 for dancers and $10 for spectators. Children under 16 are free.

Alex Beaton, Scotland’s premier entertainer, comes to perform as part of the Games each year. He and his accompaniment will play at 8:30 p.m. at the Broyhill Inn & Conference Center in Boone. Tickets cost $10 per person.

Highland Games Tickets & Parking
Here is the essential information for those attending the Highland Games. Tickets for those only interested in attending the Friday Celtic Music Jam and the Saturday Night Celtic Rock Concert may purchase $15 dollar tickets; otherwise, these events are included in that day’s admission price.

Events such as Ceilidh, the Scottish Country Dance Gala and Alex Beaton & Friends that are held at Lees-McRae College or at the Broyhill Inn, are not included in the individual day prices listed below. These tickets must be purchased separately.

Tickets
Thursday: $15
Friday: $20
Saturday: $30
Sunday: $15

Kids 5 to 12: $5 each day
Kids under 5: free

Parking
Public parking at MacRae Meadows is only available on Thursday and Friday. Shuttles will run continually to the Games once parking is full on Friday, and all day on Saturday and Sunday. Shuttles accept cash payments only.

Boone
Watauga High School parking lot
45-minute trip via Blue Ridge Parkway
$15 per person roundtrip

Linville
Parking lots at Linville post office (Highway 105) or at Camp Yonanoka (Highway 221 Bypass)
$6 roundtrip

Newland
Avery High School parking lot
$6 roundtrip