Nor Cal Highland Games Cancelled

[Alan H]

You have a point. I think someone mentioned used to being able to attend games once a month! That sounds like insanity to me...

Honestly, I think this is the crux of it. Here's the schedule of Games from last year...2009 within a 4-hour driving distance from the central San Francisco Bay Area.

April:

Tartan Day, Ardenwood Park
Bakersfield Highland Games (though Bakersfield is more like 7 hours drive)
Woodland Highland Games...Sacramento Callie Club

May:

Livermore Highland Games
Modesto Highland Games

June:

Campbell Highland Games (were cancelled)
Santa Cruz Scottish Renaissance Festival

July

Dunsmuir House Highland Games

August

Monterey Highland Games

September

Pleasanton Highland Games...San Francisco Caledonian Society
Fresno Highland Games

October

Loch Lomond Highland Games ...replaced by Santa Cruz Highland Games, at least last year

.and this list doesn't include the Games in Dixon, which went under three years ago but hope to be back in 2011. Dixon is only 20 miles from Woodland.. Their Games are in September.

There are other Games on the West Coast that our athletes sometimes go to. I've been up to Washington to the Games at Enumclaw in July and down to Ventura for those Games in October. I will go to the Costa Mesa Games this year, in May. I haven't flown out to throw at Las Vegas but I know guys that do. Portland has a really nice Games up in Oregon that guys fly up for. This list does not include Celtic Music Festivals, of which there are several, or any "strict" Renaissance Faires.

Still, just locally, that is TWELVE GAMES (or strongly Scottish Themed Festivals with most of the usual activities) in a seven month span. Is it any wonder that the local community can't support that many?

It was great for me. I could put together a whole throwing season and not have to drive more than three hours from home. No more....