Collecting Interest Data for Highland Games ~Your Assistance Requested

**davidlpope** · 17th July 10, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by Semiomniscient

Please rank your top three Highland Games/Celtic Festival attractions from the following:

_3__Athletics (Heavy)
_1__Clan Booth/Tent
_4__Dancing
_2__Music (bag piping/drumming)

Optional questions:
How far do you typically travel to attend a Highland Games or Celtic Festival? 1 to 5 driving hours from home.

How important is "ambience" of such an event to you? Very Important. Can you give an example of good "ambience"? Nice, outdoor natural surroundings- Cool Weather- Focus on the traditional HIGHLAND aspects of the event- e.g. piping, drumming, heavy events. I agree with Scott that Loch Norman and Greenville tend to be the best local examples, GMHG is a mixed bag- beautiful setting and good piping/ heavy events, but high on the freak-flag flying...

What is the biggest "turn off" perpetrated by Games/Festival organizers? Other than normally planning games for the most humid, hot months of the year, it's including all the "fluff"- e.g. "haggis throws", "bonniest knees contests"- "Celtic" bands- Faeries- SCA- Pirates- Folks who mistake Highland Games for RenFair- blue facepaint- big fake swords- leather knee-high "moccasins". I really wish that all Highland Games organizers had to attend at least three normal highland games/ gatherings in Scotland before planning their own event here in the US.

**Downunder Kilt** · 17th July 10, 04:04 PM

Please rank your top three Highland Games/Celtic Festival attractions from the following:

3___Athletics (Heavy)
___Athletics (Light)
___Clan Booth/Tent
___Club/Society Booth/Tent
___Celtic Canines
___Dancing
___Music (traditional bands)
___Music (contemporary bands)
1__Music (bag piping/drumming)
___Re-Enactment/Living History Groups
___Sheep-dog Demonstration
2___Vendors (Highland Attire)
___Vendors (Keepsakes: t-shirts, decorative weaponry, keychains, bumper stickers, etc.)
___Vendors (Alcohol)
___Vendors (Food)
___Workshops (please specify_______________)
___Other________________________________
___Other________________________________
___Other________________________________

Optional questions:
How far do you typically travel to attend a Highland Games or Celtic Festival?
400km

How important is "ambience" of such an event to you? Can you give an example of good "ambience"?
All of our local games are in parks or sports ovals, surrounded by trees with a grandstand or two which I think are great settings. Food ranges from traditional scottish fare to hamburgers, sausages in bread, scones and tea, chips and a myriad of desserts

What is the biggest "turn off" perpetrated by Games/Festival organizers?

The only fairies etc we have are kids that get face painted, there are no stalls selling siding, water tanks, double glaze etc. The only re-enactors we have is a group of the 42nd guys that usually provide escort for the colour party and a couple other official duties. I have yet to see any blue faced William Wallace's (other than a few kids from the face painting booth)
__________________

**BoldHighlander** · 17th July 10, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by Downunder Kilt

What is the biggest "turn off" perpetrated by Games/Festival organizers?

The only fairies etc we have are kids that get face painted, there are no stalls selling siding, water tanks, double glaze etc. The only re-enactors we have is a group of the 42nd guys that usually provide escort for the colour party and a couple other official duties. I have yet to see any blue faced William Wallace's (other than a few kids from the face painting booth)

Lucky you mate!

**MacBean** · 18th July 10, 11:14 AM

I think you missed an important one: people wearing kilts well (and not just pipe bands and dancers)! Perhaps even some demonstration of different kinds of Highland wear with explanation (call it a fashion show).

_1_Music (traditional bands, contemporary bands, bag piping/drumming)
_2_Dancing (but offer lessons, not just school displays; a chance for everyone to join in a ceilidh!
_3_Workshops (Highland Dress fashion show with commentator, kilt or sporran makers, music, dancing lessons)
_4_Athletics (Heavy and Light)
_5_Re-Enactment/Living History Groups
_6_Demonstrations (sheep dogs, falconry, fly fishing, horse shoeing, etc.) but tune in to locally relevant country work)

**macwilkin** · 19th July 10, 06:11 AM

Please rank your top three Highland Games/Celtic Festival attractions from the following:

1 Clan Booth/Tent
2 Music (traditional bands)
3 Workshops (Tartans, Scottish History, Genealogy, etc.)

Hard choices in the list Jamie provided; I chose the above because these are generally the reasons why I go to games nowadays -- I am either participating with my clan society, or giving some of workshop on Tartan, etc. I also enjoy the pipe bands, athletics and the sheep-dog demonstrations.

Optional questions:
How far do you typically travel to attend a Highland Games or Celtic Festival? 30-200 miles.

How important is "ambience" of such an event to you? Can you give an example of good "ambience"? The venue is everything: I prefer a park or a historical setting, such as a home or historic site with Scottish connections. I especially like to see organizers emphasize local Scottish connections; while everyone loves Wallace and the Bruce, I think it is important to show folks how Scottish immigrants added to their local community and the USA/Canada/etc. first -- that makes games (in diaspora countries) far more relevant, INMHO.

What is the biggest "turn off" perpetrated by Games/Festival organizers?
As Gilmore mentioned, the presence of "bucket shops" selling "family crests" and bogus genealogies to unsuspecting visitors. Ren Faire and Pirate types, non-Scottish related vendors, etc.

I don't mind the Haggis Hurls & Bonnie Knees Contests; I think they're in the spirit of the games, with a little bit fun thrown in.

**dfmacliam** · 17th July 10, 03:20 PM

I would rank my three top choices as #1 Games #2 traditional music #3 Quality Vendors.
I would also like contemporary music, clan tents, demonstrations of all things relevant to the Culture, interaction activities that help the visitors get a feel of the culture. And just to antagonize Jock Scot......( tongue firmly in cheek) I would like to see more flat caps worn.....lol

**Tiny** · 17th July 10, 04:00 PM

Please rank your top three Highland Games/Celtic Festival attractions from the following:

_1__Athletics (Heavy/Light)
___Clan Booth/Tent
___Club/Society Booth/Tent
___Celtic Canines
___Dancing
___Music (traditional bands)
___Music (contemporary bands)
_2__Music (bag piping/drumming)
___Re-Enactment/Living History Groups
___Sheep-dog Demonstration
_3__Vendors (Celtic)
___Workshops (please specify_______________)
___Other________________________________
___Other________________________________
___Other________________________________

Optional questions:
How far do you typically travel to attend a Highland Games or Celtic Festival? 5min-7hours

How important is "ambience" of such an event to you? Can you give an example of good "ambience"? a little more focus on the games them selves, heavy and light events should be more centrally located in the Highland GAMES. So many Highland Games are being lost from event coordinators ignoring the foundation of what the games are started.

What is the biggest "turn off" perpetrated by Games/Festival organizers?
LARPERS and anything else that has nothing to do with Scottish or even Celtic heritage. That includes vendors selling truck caps, or windows.

Even our local games here seem to want to get rid of the heavy/light events, I'm just not sure how you can call it a Highland Games with out the games.

**Semiomniscient** · 17th July 10, 10:28 PM

Thanks everybody! Keep them coming! I'm agreeing personally with a lot of what I'm reading. I fear that I'm in for a struggle keeping out the nonsense that creeps into our Games.

**vmac3205** · 18th July 10, 06:52 AM

Originally Posted by Semiomniscient

Your assisted is requested!
A member of our Highland Games & Celtic Festival "Steering Committee" dismissed some of my anecdotal accounts of what people want to see at Highland Games and Celtic Festivals. I think this is in part a way to avoid certain aspects of such events that some of our organizations are committed to. So, I am looking to collect interest data for Highland Games from those in the Scottish and otherwise Celtic community. I will post this questionnaire on other forums and compile the data. Those of you who are members in multiple places, I ask that you respond only once. I am perfectly happy with discussion on the matter to be carried out here... However, please give consideration to responding to the questionnaire beforehand. Also, if I've left something rather obvious out of the list, please correct me.

Please rank your top three Highland Games/Celtic Festival attractions from the following:

_1_Athletics (Heavy)
___Athletics (Light)
_2_Clan Booth/Tent
___Club/Society Booth/Tent
___Celtic Canines
_3__Dancing
___Music (traditional bands)
___Music (contemporary bands)
_5__Music (bag piping/drumming)
___Re-Enactment/Living History Groups
_4__Sheep-dog Demonstration
___Vendors (Highland Attire)
___Vendors (Keepsakes: t-shirts, decorative weaponry, keychains, bumper stickers, etc.)
___Vendors (Alcohol)
___Vendors (Food)
___Workshops (please specify_______________)
___Other________________________________
___Other________________________________
___Other________________________________

Optional questions:
How far do you typically travel to attend a Highland Games or Celtic Festival?
Anywhere from 20 - 300 miles

How important is "ambience" of such an event to you? Can you give an example of good "ambience"?
Plenty of shade trees, natural park-like setting, lots of pipe music, family friendly

What is the biggest "turn off" perpetrated by Games/Festival organizers?

All the pirate / witch / wench / weird stuff being sold, along with the funeral plots and siding sales. Loud rock (even celtic rock) music in the middle of everything.

**Inchessi** · 18th July 10, 08:20 AM

[QUOTE=Semiomniscient;897390]
Please rank your top three Highland Games/Celtic Festival attractions from the following:[QUOTE]

__1_Athletics (Heavy) I do not wish to be rude, but I see these equal.
_1__Athletics (Light)
_2__Clan Booth/Tent
___Club/Society Booth/Tent
___Celtic Canines I love working dogs.
_3__Dancing Athletics come in many shapes
___Music (traditional bands)
___Music (contemporary bands)
___Music (bag piping/drumming)
___Re-Enactment/Living History Groups
__4_Sheep-dog DemonstrationI love working dogs.
___Vendors (Highland Attire)
___Vendors (Keepsakes: t-shirts, decorative weaponry, keychains, bumper stickers, etc.)
___Vendors (Alcohol)
___Vendors (Food)
___Workshops (please specify_______________)
___Other________________________________
___Other________________________________
___Other________________________________

Optional questions:
How far do you typically travel to attend a Highland Games or Celtic Festival?
As most, approx. 100 miles
How important is "ambience" of such an event to you?
Very important.
Can you give an example of good "ambience"?
Where to start? As I enter the gate, there is usually classic British cars. Then the large amount of vendors. Clothing vendors allow me to see some of the products that are only view in a .jpg. Many also offer up suggestions. Then the clan tents, always fun to hear people talk about the history of their clan.
What is the biggest "turn off" perpetrated by Games/Festival organizers?
This may not be what you are asking, or what you want, excuse me while I ramble on:
Finally, my source of irritation, the Athletics. I have yet to see any program of who, from where, is competing, in what. This information may be avalible, but I have never found it. It had occurred to me far too often that these are professional athletes, and the event is treated as though "Bubba is gonna throw a pole." It would be great if a person could see who was competing before the games. I have seen a two men and one woman compete that I would like to watch them in other games. I watched this one man, his form in the hammer throw was perfect, the ark of the throw was phenomenal, His distance appeared to be the best. I saw a second guy, he looked like he could barely pick up the hammer, he replicated the first guy and nailed second. The female in question was also great, she bantered with the judges, heaved the weight over the bar, and was smokin hot. Even if she wasn't so attractive, she was still fun to watch. Long story short, Athletics in the mid-west seems to be "Oh, there are some guys doing some stuff over there somewhere."