History & Photographs of the Highland Games in Edinboro

The Edinboro Highland Games & Scottish Festival, originally the Spring Highlands Festival, was created in Dr. Tim Thompson's public relations classes in the fall of 1992. After nine months of preparation, and the involvement of various University and community organizations, the first festival was held April 24,1993. About 500 people attended that Saturday where soft sprinkles of morning rain turned into a freezing torrential downpour by noontime. The wind pushed a fourteen foot Nessie float across the playing fields. Volunteers scrambled to keep tents from taking flight. Kids and parents and pipers took refuge inside, and on their cold wet faces were smiles. Edinboro's Scottish festival, with its trademarked weather, was born!

Though the 1993 weather was frightful, the Games went on, adding events each year. In 1994, mini-band and highland dance competitions were added, and in 1995, world-class entertainers ignited the festival stages. From Carl Peterson and Clan Na Gael/Seven Nations, to Ed Miller, Bonnie Rideout, Alex Beaton, Bad Haggis & Eric Rigler, Jeremy Kittel, the Chelsea House Orchestra, Alasdair Fraser, Al Petteway, Amy White, Heirloom, Cherish the Ladies, Empty Hats, and Anam Cara -- the festival musical offerings have blossomed beautifully.

What are "Highland Games"? - A Brief History

When celebrating in times of peace one of the Highlanders' favorite pastimes was the tainchel. For these "great hunts" very often several clans would combine. Chieftains would send word to the clansmen that such an event was planned and when and where they should assemble. For several days the greater part of the clansmen assembled would go out into the mountains and begin driving the red deer and other animals in front of them in a gradually tightening circle. Soon the animals were driven off the mountains and through the passes where the waiting armed huntsmen would make the kills.

After such a successful hunt a great feast and celebration would be held and venison would be sent to everyone who was unable to attend. Then the rival clansmen would relax by testing each other's prowess at various sports - running, jumping, wrestling, or primitive forms of weight putting with stones, or divided into roughly equal sides vying against each other in a very early form of camanachd or shinty. Lastly the clansmen would vie with each other in piping and in dancing, the pipers taking it in turns to demonstrate their skills and the clansmen to demonstrate their agility and neatness of movement by dancing complicated steps to the pipe music. These relaxations were in effect the forerunners of the modern Highland games.

From the very earliest times Chieftains would arrange races amongst their followers to find the fastest man available for carrying urgent messages in time of war or clan battles. Legend has it that Malcolm Canmore (1057-1093) organized one of the first races run for this purpose. It is said he offered a purse of gold and a fine sword - plus the post itself - to the first runner to make it to the top of Craig Choinich, one of the mountains above Braemar, and return to the starting point.

From Michael Brander's The Essential Guide to Highland Games

Highland games are festivals held throughout the year in Scotland and many other countries of the world as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage, especially that of the Scottish Highlands. Certain aspects of the games are so well known as to have become emblematic of Scotland, such as the bagpipes, the kilt, and the heavy events, especially the caber toss. While centered around competitions in piping and drumming, dancing, and Scottish heavy athletics, the games also include entertainment and exhibits related to other aspects of Scottish and Gaelic culture.

Photos from the Edinboro Highland Games

Photos by Buck Snodgrass