Grandfather Mountain Highland Scottish Clan Games

High in the mountains of Western North Carolina, the ancient Celtic spirit beckons. Answering the call, as hundreds of tartan banners unravel, are the sounds of bagpipes echoing through the valley, and once again, thousands of kilt-clad Scots make their way to MacRae meadows for their annual gathering and games. Each year in July, Grandfather Mountain strives to give the best representation of the Scottish Highland Games, and offers opportunities for clans, guests, families, sponsors, patrons and visitors to come together to celebrate Scottish Heritage. The Games were started as a one-day event, but have since been extended to three days of traditional entertainment and competitions. Day one of the event starts out with an Aggie Woodruff Golf Tournament and family picnic, while traditional Celtic music will be playing all day. Lace up your tennis shoes for the evening event, The Bear; Assault on Grandfather. This five mile footrace climbs 1,568 feet in elevation from the town of Linville to the summit of Grandfather Mountain. The race precedes a torchlight ceremony which announces each Clan’s arrival to the games. Day two is packed full with activities. You can participate in or watch the athletic competitions or learn about art, music and dancing! History and Genealogy studies of Clans will also be available. The last day of the games; competitions take place throughout the day. Feel free to participate in activities like kilted miles, Scottish country dancing, Scottish harps, Clans Tug-of-war, along with many more. Grandfather Mountain’s Highland games offer the best in traditional dancing, piping, drumming, athletic achievement, music and Gaelic culture. Each year, the crowd goes wild for a demonstration of sheep herding by Border Collies. A great part of the appeal of the games is the location itself, in an area that resembles the Scottish Highlands, where those Scottish by birth or by interest gather to celebrate their heritage. All proceeds of this event go towards scholarship funds for Avery County ... Distributed by Tubemogul.