154th Scottish Highland Gathering & Games, Pleasanton CA

**OC Richard** · 20th August 19, 05:00 AM

I put that holder out, ready to take.

Have people read the list of banned items from the Pleasanton Games site? (Alameda County Fairgrounds.)

Cans, glass bottles, and hard-shell coolers are banned. Only soft-sided coolers are allowed.

As far as I know this is a first. I know last year, as in all previous years, everybody brought in ordinary coolers.

Also, flasks are specifically banned.

However dirks and sginean are allowed.

**Baeau** · 20th August 19, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

I put that holder out, ready to take.

Have people read the list of banned items from the Pleasanton Games site? (Alameda County Fairgrounds.)

Cans, glass bottles, and hard-shell coolers are banned. Only soft-sided coolers are allowed.

As far as I know this is a first. I know last year, as in all previous years, everybody brought in ordinary coolers.

Also, flasks are specifically banned.

However dirks and sginean are allowed.

For those that don't know......Given the, recent, events of the Gilroy Garlic Festival (an hours drive away), the Caledonian Club of San Francisco & Alameda County Fairgrounds want all to know they are doing their best to ensure a safe event. Please, read here:

http://www.thescottishgames.com/

https://alamedacountyfair.com/safety-and-rules/

**OC Richard** · 20th August 19, 05:04 PM

Allowing knives but banning plastic coolers makes no sense to me.

And the organisers mentioning the Gilroy tragedy as the reason for banning coolers is just plain bizarre.

Well we shall see what the enforcement is. I expect to see plastic coolers everywhere.

**Panache** · 21st August 19, 10:06 AM

I and the Flame Haired Celtic Amazon Goddess (F-H.C.A.G.) will be there on Saturday. Mainly around the Scottish Dancers at the Jordanhill and St Andrew's stages. We also are found over by the MacNicol clan tent.

Cheers

Jamie

**OC Richard** · 22nd August 19, 03:53 AM

Love your kilt there, the whole outfit, the shoes look very comfortable.

Is that Nicolson?

I used to play in the Nicolson Pipe Band here in SoCal, who wore red Nicolson kilts, which I didn't care for.

When there was talk of needing new kilts I tried to get them to adopt Nicolson Hunting, to no avail.

**Panache** · 23rd August 19, 07:04 AM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

Love your kilt there, the whole outfit, the shoes look very comfortable.

Is that Nicolson?

I used to play in the Nicolson Pipe Band here in SoCal, who wore red Nicolson kilts, which I didn't care for.

When there was talk of needing new kilts I tried to get them to adopt Nicolson Hunting, to no avail.

Richard,

It is. It is from USA Kilts and Rocky had found this small mill that made a version of the tartan that he really thought was beautiful (he was right!)

Cheers

Jamie

**OC Richard** · 31st August 19, 03:26 AM

That's the nicest Nicholson tartan I've seen, for sure. I wonder which mill?

About the issue about coolers etc for this year's Games, a bandmate shed light on it.

He said that he checked it out, and the page with the Alameda County Fairgrounds rules has been unchanged for years. The only change this year is that the CCSF page has a link to it.

Most of those rules have never been enforced (the rules about a limit of one chair per person, no tents, no hard-shell coolers, and several others).

So he anticipates no change this year despite the warnings on the CCSF site and the link.

Some of us Long Beach Pipe Band people got there yesterday (Friday) morning and staked out our Band Tent area (literally). Our tent has LBPB banners up, which look curiously like House Lannister sigils. Come by and say hi!

We don't play till late in the day both days- I think it's 3:45 today (Saturday) and 4:00 tomorrow (Sunday)- so I should have plenty of time to hang out. I will try to visit you all, and swing by the Chattan, Douglas, and MacNicol tents.

**Baeau** · 1st September 19, 04:23 PM

My apologies for missing all. Early, at the Johnston/e tent, I saw Richrail walk nearby (recognized via photos pose on the forum). Saw Panache, dancing with his partner Christina (friend of our daughter's from their ice skate team days). My eldest, thought she saw OC Richard walking near Chillin' & Grillin', with pipes in hand. Passed his band's tent several times, not to be seen. Maybe next year. I pseudo volunteered for the Johnston/e tent.