LAURINBURG — The annual Scotland County Highland Games are returning for their 11th year Saturday at the Rural Heritage Center in Laurinburg. The weekend will also include other events during the weekend on Friday and Sunday.
Last year when Hurricane Florence hit the region, the outdoor event was set back because of the decrease in turnout.
“Nobody from northeastern Lumberton or to the south, you know, could make it because so many roads were out and all,” said Bill Caudill, the founder and chairman of the Scotland County Highland Games. “I think we are going to have a crowd of people this year; we’ve been working very hard with advertisement and things like that. This, perhaps, is going to be our best year yet.”
The Scotland County Highland Games consists of older, traditional Scottish events that tests each person’s strengths throughout the day. Families, or “clans,” will be joining the events. There will also be a number of Scottish vendors to provide food.
“What really started centuries ago in the strengths through tests and challenges between warriors has really morphed into something much larger,” said Caudill. “Now it’s been a gathering of Scots, and you don’t have to be Scottish to come and enjoy it.”
There will also be competitive solo piping, drumming, highland dance and Scottish athletic events along with a sheep dog demonstration, stage performances, Celtic music and games for children.
There will also be a pipe band competition for the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association Southern Branch Championships for grades fourth and fifth.
Admissions for the Scotland County Highland Games can be purchased in advance online for $12 for adults and $3 for kids, but at the gate the tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for kids.
The event will end with a performance called the “Highland Echoes” at the Scotland High School auditorium which is a Scottish Highland version of the Riverdance. The tickets are first come, first serve and vary from $15 to $35 online and $25 at the door.
On Friday, there will be a whiskey tasting and gathering at the King Fisher Society in Laurel Hill at 3 p.m.; for those who plan to attend you must register in advance. There will also be a reception for sponsors and clans at the Scottish Heritage Center in St. Andrews University at 6 p.m. and a piping concert at the Avinger Auditorium in St. Andrews University at 8 p.m.
On Sunday, there will be a “Kirkin’ of the Tartans” worship service at the Historic Old Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church at 11 a.m. with an additional reenactment of a 1790s church service that was spoken in a language called Gaelic with some English translations at 1:30 p.m.
Caudill added they have the largest number of entries this year with 15 pipe bands, 80 dancers, a little more than 80 solo competitors, more than 30 athletes and 42 Highland clans and family associations. Most of their attendance is from out-of-state participants.
Caudill hopes to see more people from the Laurinburg community attend the events this weekend to experience what it is all about.
For information on the Scotland County Highland Games visit the website, www.carolina-highlandgames.com.
Octavia Johnson is a fall semester intern from The University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
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