Review of The Virginia Scottish games

[Jerry]

Alex Beaton and Rathkelter were good. That is just about the only good thing. Geoffrey Tailor's booth didn't have any , or very few kilts on display that I could find. They did have some polyvis tartans for $30 a yard. Clan Leatherworks had some nice sporrans, but they were way overpriced. The non-fur sporrans were nice and seemed well made, but David (Freedlander) makes sporrans as good or better at a fairer price. The whole day started way wrong. My wife and I were refused entry into handicap parking, even though she was is on Oxygey for COPD.* I have handicap plates for my arthritus and my wife also had her placcard Instead, we were told to park at some school and catch the shuttle back 4 or 5 blocks to the park. After getting the last spot at that school, we sat and waited for nearly 30 minutes for a shuttle bus. Several passed by without stopping at the school so my wife said, "let's walk"' We took another half hour to make the walk, because my wife had to stop several times to catch her breath. When we got there, and got our tickets, which we had previously ordered, I went looking for a site map, so we could find our way around and was inforned that I had to purchase a 5 dollar program to get the map and event schedule. WE only made it as far as the amphitheater, where we saw Alex Beaton and rathkelter perform. Of course it rained everytime Rathkelter got on stage, so we never did see a whole set from them. When they were rained out during their second set, We decided to leave. We were both pretty wet, and my wife's oxygen was running low. We tried to wait for a shuttle again, but after 10 minutes of standing in the rain my wifew said "let's go" WE had to stop several more times on the way back, especially after my wife's oxygen ran out. It was during one of these rest stops that pretty much the highlight of the whole day took place. I heard someone say, "I've been looking to see one of those shirts" (my Xmarks tee shirt) and I met our newest member , PaulX608 and his wife. We stood there in the rain, now about to stop, and talked about kilts and this forum. He said he had a kilt on order and had been lurking here, reading the forum. I told him, "you don't have to have your kilt to join, just be interested in them." I see he took my advice and signed up. (Welcome to the forum, Paul.)
All in all it wasn't a good day. The Virginia Scottish games was the worst run and most money hungry event I have ever attended. They had totally inadequate parking, a nearly non-existant shuttle service, and was so spread out that it was totaly un-handicap friendly. The only problem beyond control of the event planners was the weather. Needless to say, I will never attend that event again. Williamsburg's Scottisg festival is in two weeks. I'll be at that one. It does have parking, the entertainment stages are under tents, They are cheaper on tickets, have more vendors and even give visitors a free program and site map.