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September 2016
St. Louis Scottish Games
9/23/2016 -
A wee bit of Scottish fun returns to the St. Louis area September 23-24 with the 14th Annual St. Louis Scottish Games & Cultural Festival (SLSG) at Spirit Airpark West Drive in Chesterfield, Mo., adjacent to the Spirit of St. Louis Airport. “Last year was our first at our new location in the Chesterfield Valley, and we were very pleased with the move,” said Dr. James McLaren, SLSG chairman. “The expanded area enabled us to host the additional athletes for the Masters World Championship, and the comments we received from both participants and visitors confirmed that the new, larger site was a positive change.” In addition to the heavy athletics competition (which includes the world-famous caber toss), the annual event will again offer Highland dancing, Celtic rock and Scottish folk music, more than 120 pipers and drummers, sheepdog herding demonstrations, Highland cattle and wild bird displays, children’s activities, and a range of vendors as well as food, beverages and crafts. On Friday, September 23, the gates will open at 3 p.m., and events will be: a sheepdog demonstration; a tug o’ war between police and firemen from the St. Louis County Cadet Academy; a Quiddich game (as depicted in Scottish author J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books and movies) by Webster University students; and a “Farmer’s Walk” competition, in which contestants carry two, 250-lb. weights as far as possible. A folk concert by The Wee Heavies musical group will take place at 5:45 p.m. At dusk, the “calling” of the Scottish clans will take place, followed by a Celtic rock concert at 8 p.m. On Saturday, September 24, the gates open at 8:30 a.m. The opening ceremony will take place at 9:15 a.m., with a military color guard and the singing of the National Anthem. The day’s events will include: Scottish folk and Celtic rock music, the latter courtesy of the Canadian group Mudmen; Highland dancing; pipe band competitions; professional-class Highland athletes; sword-fighting demonstrations; animals and birds of prey; and children’s activities. The Parade of Clans will be held at 12:30 p.m. The closing ceremonies, with the massed pipe bands performing Amazing Grace, will start at 4:30 p.m., followed by a Celtic rock concert at 5:15 p.m. Ticket prices are:
Students (17-plus) and active/former military who hold a valid ID card will receive a $5 discount. For more information, visit www.stlouis-scottishgames.com, or call (314) 821-1286.
About the St. Louis Scottish Games (SLSG) The St. Louis Scottish Games (SLSG) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose primary goal is “to establish a high-quality Scottish Games & Cultural Festival as a sustainable, annual tradition that celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Scotland, highlights Scottish-American connections, and generates local, regional and national recognition for the greater St. Louis area.” # # # For more information:
Dr. James McLaren
(314) 821-1286
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