Tartan Day in Balboa Park, San Diego

[FossilHunter]

I'm jealous. "Permitted" to wear club ties that would sport decorating embroidery of a Bantam Rooster or an English Bulldog by the initials that can follow my name (issued by stodgy New England educational institutions), and being informed by Jock that THAT was what I should aspire to, I went in search for same and discovered that NEITHER of those institutions' souvenir collections available at their bookstores even BOTHERS to sell ANY neckties any more. Maybe it's emblematic of the frailty and transitory nature of American culture.

Here is my official university tie with the pattern of the university’s athletic program logo. Moving to the right is a red and black tie I purchased as an unofficial university tie (though it appears rather orange in this light). Then I have a nice club style tie I purchased from the Fort George website a few years ago.

I will post a second tie photo.

[FossilHunter]

Here are some official BSA ties I’ve collected that fit the British style. Two are Eagle Scout ties (club and striped) and the one in the center is a leader tie. I suspect the middle tie is probably similar to a regimental tie in the UK (though I haven’t confirmed that) so I probably wouldn’t wear it there but it’s an official BSA tie (you can tell from the logo near the bottom) so I have no qualms about wearing it in the US.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.