Tartan Day in Balboa Park, San Diego

[SF Jeff]

This was my first time attending a tartan day celebration but I decided to do it since the San Diego Highland Games were cancelled this year.

It is a bummer about the SD games, but on a brighter note it looks like Dixon is up and running again. I used to do that one every year when I lived up there. And Woodland is back (sort of) but I can't get the webpage to load. https://www.norcalcelticfestival.com

[FossilHunter]

It is a bummer about the SD games, but on a brighter note it looks like Dixon is up and running again. I used to do that one every year when I lived up there. And Woodland is back (sort of) but I can't get the webpage to load. https://www.norcalcelticfestival.com

I think it was some sort of conflict either the city of Vista over the space.

I may look into the Orange County games if I don’t have Scout obligations that weekend.

[OC Richard]

It is a bummer about the SD games, but on a brighter note it looks like Dixon is up and running again. I used to do that one every year when I lived up there. And Woodland is back (sort of) but I can't get the webpage to load. https://www.norcalcelticfestival.com

Yes I attended Woodland last year and I'll be there this Saturday.

It's a new model for Highland Games, and it seems to be working.

For many years the Sacramento area Highland Games were a full-scale event held at the Yolo County Fairgrounds in Woodland (near Sacramento). But Covid, plus the retirement of some of the people who had been running the Games for decades, put the kybosh to it.

During Covid when no Games were happening a series of "Pipes & Pubs" events were held across WUSPBA territory to give solo piping and drumming competitors a venue to compete and compile points. (The only other venue was online competitions.)

Blue Note Brewing in old downtown Woodland was one of these pubs, and the event grew year by year until now it's a nearly full-scale Games with pipe bands, Highland dance, athletics, vendors, stage bands, etc. The difference is that it's held on Woodland's Main Street (the equivalent to a British town's High Street) and it's free to attend. The onus of having to charge admission to pay for the venue has disappeared.

Good to hear Dixon is happening. I've heard of those Games but never attended. (Sorry but I had to look up where Dixon was just now.)

I did just hear of another West Coast Games cancellation, the Portland Highland Games.

[YOJiMBO20]

Costa Mesa is a much better Games than San Diego, hands down. Easily the best in SoCal (maybe the only one now?)

[FossilHunter]

Costa Mesa is a much better Games than San Diego, hands down. Easily the best in SoCal (maybe the only one now?)

I’ve been to it once and enjoyed it. I definitely prefer it being held in May rather than June. Whoever it was that decided that an event where many men wear heavyweight wool should be held in June in Vista aught to be drawn and quartered. Lordy.

[SF Jeff]

Dixon is a small, low key event. No pipe comps or massed bands, just a handful of vendors. But it was fun. $8 bucks at the door and free parking.

Also a bummer about Portland. I know covid killed a lot of small local games here in CA but some of the big ones are also gone and not coming back. Queen Mary and Monterey for example. Let's hope Portland and SD return. Hate to lose any games, big or small.

[OC Richard]

Whoever it was that decided that an event where many men wear heavyweight wool should be held in June in Vista ought to be drawn and quartered. Lordy.

That's the thing- they're the San Diego Games and they used to be held in San Diego.

Those Games are part of a much larger, puzzling picture:

-San Diego Highland Games

-Caledonian Club of San Francisco Highland Games

-United Scottish Societies of Southern California Highland Gathering and Games (Los Angeles area)

-Seattle Scottish Highland Games Association

So we have four organisations all located in coastal cities renowned for their remarkably mild climates.

But three of the four don't hold their Games along the coast! Rather, they hold their Games in hot, dry, dusty inland valleys far from the cool sea breezes.

-San Diego Games: Vista

-San Francisco Games: Pleasanton

-Seattle Games: Enumclaw

And the Los Angeles area Games, before they came to Costa Mesa, were held in places near the coast but oddly cut off from coastal breezes and blistering hot, like Santa Monica's Corsair Field (1958-1976).

My first Games were in Santa Monica in 1975 and it was over 100 degrees on the field.

[FossilHunter]

That's the thing- they're the San Diego Games and they used to be held in San Diego.

Those Games are part of a much larger, puzzling picture:

-San Diego Highland Games

-Caledonian Club of San Francisco Highland Games

-United Scottish Societies of Southern California Highland Gathering and Games (Los Angeles area)

-Seattle Scottish Highland Games Association

So we have four organisations all located in coastal cities renowned for their remarkably mild climates.

But three of the four don't hold their Games along the coast! Rather, they hold their Games in hot, dry, dusty inland valleys far from the cool sea breezes.

-San Diego Games: Vista

-San Francisco Games: Pleasanton

-Seattle Games: Enumclaw

And the Los Angeles area Games, before they came to Costa Mesa, were held in places near the coast but oddly cut off from coastal breezes and blistering hot, like Santa Monica's Corsair Field (1958-1976).

My first Games were in Santa Monica in 1975 and it was over 100 degrees on the field.

I imagine some of that may be cost. Venues on the coast are pricey.

Obviously there wouldn’t be a better place in San Diego county than the Del Mar fairgrounds on the coast but I expect the cost would be enormous.

I’d prefer just about anywhere than Vista. It’s not centrally located at all for the county.

[YOJiMBO20]

I’ve been to it once and enjoyed it. I definitely prefer it being held in May rather than June. Whoever it was that decided that an event where many men wear heavyweight wool should be held in June in Vista aught to be drawn and quartered. Lordy.

I’m guessing you’ve never been to the Pleasanton games. Despite the name, the weather usually isn’t pleasant. 112 in the shade is miserable on its own. Adding in the kilt and the rest of the band uniform just makes it unbearable.

[FossilHunter]

I’m guessing you’ve never been to the Pleasanton games. Despite the name, the weather usually isn’t pleasant. 112 in the shade is miserable on its own. Adding in the kilt and the rest of the band uniform just makes it unbearable.

I’ve not and at 112F I doubt I ever would. ;)

Man, that’s as hot as Yuma, AZ in September and that’s deep in the Sonoran desert.