Scottish Festival Peeves?

[artificer]

Or both!


EDIT: Sorry the picture is tiny. Some kind of posting flub. But look hard to starboard.

Just THINK of the full mask THAT guy'd make

Where's my club?

[OC Richard]

Just to be clear, this is not MY list, it's all pulled from previous posts, that's why I said "stuff YOU GUYS find intolerable" !

My point was the infusion of the word "intolerable" changed the character or "feel" of this thread a bit. I didn't see anyone saying that anything was "intolerable", only amusing or odd or whatever.

That's why I mentioned that these oddities of dress weren't a "peeve" to me but simply interesting and/or occasionally amusing.

In other words I'm not a hater and I don't like it when people imply that I am.

By the way, what the heck is LARP? The Louisiana Association for Retired People?

[artificer]

By the way, what the heck is LARP? The Louisiana Association for Retired People?

Live Action Roll Play - or amateur dramatics and ren-faire all rolled into a ball with 'D&D gamer'.

[MacBean]

I've stayed clear of this one as I haven't any peeves, never having been to a Scottish games except for one last Autumn at the MacKintosh home of Moy, former Inverness shire. That was really more of a Country Fair.

Having read some of the posts here, I think I understand why some here are so protective of their traditions for they seem to be under a seige of parody and fantasy. Certainly gave me somethng to think about.

[Semiomniscient]

I've stayed clear of this one as I haven't any peeves, never having been to a Scottish games except for one last Autumn at the MacKintosh home of Moy, former Inverness shire. That was really more of a Country Fair.

Having read some of the posts here, I think I understand why some here are so protective of their traditions for they seem to be under a seige of parody and fantasy. Certainly gave me somethng to think about.

I think it's the country fair character that many of us desire to see in our local Highland Games that causes so much of this protectiveness. Maybe certain Games would be like country fairs on steroids, but shouldn't be mixed into the likes of ren faires and comic conventions. That said, I like all of those things, but all of them in their place. :-)

[Nighthawk]

I think it's the country fair character that many of us desire to see in our local Highland Games that causes so much of this protectiveness. Maybe certain Games would be like country fairs on steroids, but shouldn't be mixed into the likes of ren faires and comic conventions. That said, I like all of those things, but all of them in their place. :-)

Exactly! The games aren't cheapened or assaulted by these misguided people. The culture remains strong because of those of us who actually understand it. It's just a little annoying- at least, to me- to see the people who don't understand and don't bother to take the time to understand. Now given my involvement in living history, I suspect that I myself may be in a small way partly to blame for people getting annoyed about others in costume at the Games, because I am always in costume (OK, almost always in costume!) at the games, if the Renaissance Scots are participating. The issue, I think, is the complete lack of understanding on the part of the people in question as to what the games actually are! For example, my best friend is an Anderson by adoption, and a native American by birth. I took him to his first Games a few years ago for his birthday, and his first question was- should I wear a costume? I simply explained to him that the Games were a cultural event along the same lines as the pow wows that he been taking me to for years, and that made sense to him! The problem as I see it is a lack of genuine cultural events in mainstream American society. As a result, we don't quite understand the last part of the quoted post- everything in it's place. We simply assume that everything is a game of fantasy.

[McElmurry]

My first experience was this spring at the Highland Games and Festival in Woodland California. I saw a bit of what has been mentioned but overall felt it had a nice family atmosphere with quite a lot to see. What was really brought home to me was the concept of buying the best kilt one can afford and wearing it at the true waist. The young, fit, and tanned can get away with just about any look but I am no longer any of those things.

[L. Ramsay]

Wait, so no Toga's? What kind of Scottish festival would that make for?


Well in true Highland fashion, most of them would be hunted either as varmint or food. So let the games begin!

Its all fun and games until someone gets their toga stuck over their head.


On second thought, bring on the furries. And maybe we can stick those LARPers on them, use those swords for a practical reason.

[ggibby]

This discussion has gained the flavor of the 'dreaded' Halloween thread - costumes vs clothing.
I love me some costuming, and tend to get sort of wrapped up in it...

And I have done the kilt-poufshirt-baldric-sword thing to the renfaire a couple times, but I think next time it'll be a UK and collared shirt or full-on character dress costume (no kilt).

As far as Highland Games, I've never been. No nits to pick, but I have been to lots of other 'proper dress inferred' events, and I try to blend in - boots & hat to the rodeo or ag fair, tie & jacket to the cocktail party, Hawai'ian shirt to the Buffett show, like that. SO, I would bring out the tartan for the Highland games, but probably with jump boots and a practical shirt.

Really, though, my head tilts to hear of CJS showing up in Rob Roy's neighborhood. Huh?

[AFS1970]

I would consider the kilt off limits for Halloween, first because it is not a costume, but second because it is something I already own and something fairly expensive. Thus it takes some of the creativity and spirit out the game. Plus since the reason one wears a costume on Halloween is to look like someone else, my kilt really would do little or nothing to fool the evil spirits.