Maintaining the tradition for over 150 years, the Bay Area will host its 158th annual Scottish Highland Gathering & Games during this Labor Day weekend. Celebrating its 30th year in Pleasanton, the event will take place in the Alameda County Fairgrounds from Saturday, August 31 to Sunday, September 1. Doors will open at 8am and close at 6pm.
According to Sabine Zimmerhansl, communications officer for the Caledonian Club of San Francisco, the event has been a staple ever since the club founded it on November 24, 1866. The Caledonian Club of San Francisco is one of the oldest Scottish societies in the United States, and they originally formed as a way to preserve Scotland’s culture and ancient customs, through their cuisine, costumes, literature and their games. The traditional sports showcased at the yearly Games actually pre-date the first modern Olympics held in Athens in 1896, and effectively were the first event to introduce the Bay Area to mass-spectator sports.
This year’s competitions will include a kilted mile race taking place on the oldest one-mile horse racing track in the U.S., sheepdog trials, soccer, archery, piping, drumming and highland dancing. This year’s Heavy Athletics features over 80 men and women competing in pro-class and amateur-class courses for various contests, like hammer throwing, stone putting, and sheaf & caber tossing.
Major highlights for this year’s Games include hosting 72 Clans and Scottish societies, including Clan Buchanan; who will introduce their new Chief John Michael Bailie-Hamilton Buchanan, (visiting from Perthshire, Scotland) after going over 340 years without one. This year, the Caledonian Club of San Francisco’s guest military band will be performing alongside the Vancouver Irish Pipes and Drums Society from British Columbia. According to Zimmerhansl, preparation for the whole gathering usually starts as early as January and lasts up until the day of the event, with hundreds of volunteers.
“This year’s closing ceremony is going to be a spectacular one,” Zimmerhansl exclaims. “Over 200 solo pipers and drummers will compete for honors this year, and even in the heat of competition they all come together in the Grandstand closing ceremony. Even if you’re not a big fan of bagpipes yourself, it will still be something to really marvel at.”
Aside from competitions, events include six stages of live traditional and modern Scottish/Celtic performances, clan gatherings, living history reenactments, and whisky tasting. The food that they distribute involves a variety of Scottish specialties, like fish & chips, Scottish meat pies, sausage rolls, Scotch eggs, and bangers.
“Even people who aren’t from Scotland can enjoy the event,” Zimmerhansl says. “There’s so much rich history condensed into this one event, but it’s structured so that anyone can enjoy all sorts of different aspects of Scottish culture. Personally, I find this event is almost like one of the best kept secrets of the Bay Area, and anyone looking for family-based fun and games should try to attend.”
More information about the event and how to purchase tickets can be found on the Scottish Highland Gathering & Games’ official website, Instagram and Facebook pages.
thescottishgames.com
Scottish Highland Gathering and Games
Saturday, Aug 31 & Sunday, Sep 1
8am – 6pm
Alameda County Fairgrounds
2005 Valley Ave., Gate 8, Pleasanton
Tickets: Adult $48.80, Senior 65+ / Youth 12 – 17 $28, Child 6 – 11 $5.60
