Sorry about the late notice on this event, but your columnist only learned about it this weekend from a local television ad. This is an area we really have not covered, but it certainly should have a place here so when I saw the ad I knew I had to post something on this. Hopefully we can expand coverage of these types of events going forward.
The Highland games are designed to test strength and have similarities to Strongman events, and the weekend has lots of other cool things to offer, as you can find out about on the websites listed as well as the video on the bottom of the page.
There will be lots of Celtic music and other forms of entertainment, a Haggis eating contest and a lot more over the course of the weekend.
I have not had the pleasure of experiencing an event such as this, but I am hoping to at least stop in at this one to see what it is all about. It sounds like a lot of fun for a nice Fall weekend outing.
Celtic Classic Highland Games and Festival
305 Conestoga St., Bethlehem, PA 18018
© 2009 – 2010 Celtic Classic- Highland Games & Festival
http://www.celticfest.org/
Come & watch this year’s 2010 competitors perform feats of strength, speed, agility and skill which were once commonplace during the various fairs, clan gatherings, and tainchels (great hunts) of medieval Scotland.
http://www.celticfest.org/highland
This is Celtic Classic’s fourth year of hosting the official U.S. National Highland Athletic Championships and being witness to many World Records being set!
The games feature events that have changed little since medieval times include lifting of heavy stone, throwing the hammer, and tossing of the caber. Lucky for us, the game of ‘twisting the four legs off a cow for which a fat sheep is offered as a prize no longer occurs in the more civilized programs of modern games.
These competitions go back much farther than the more traditional testes of strength we have grown to love and they have obviously withstood the tests of time.
The following schedules focus primarily on the strength competitions, but check out the websit for a full schedule of events, please.
Friday, Sep 24th
6:30 pm World Invitational Caber Championships
Saturday Sep 25th
Highland Field (US Highland Championships)
TIME
ARTIST/EVENT
9:30 am
16lb Hammer Throw
11:00 am
24lb Braemer Stone
12:00 pm
Showing of the Tarten Parade and Opening Ceremonies
1:00 pm
56lb. Weight Throw
2:00 pm
Sheaf Toss
4:00 pm
Caber Toss
Sunday Sep 26th
Highland Field
TIME
ARTIST/EVENT
9:30 am
22lb Hammer Throw
11:00 am
Open Stone
1:00 pm
56lb Weight for Height
2:45 pm
28lb Weight Toss
3:45 pm
Drum Major Competition
4:15 pm
Massed Bands & Piping Awards
5:00 pm
Challenge Caber Toss
6:00 pm
Athletic Awards Ceremony
6:30 pm
Border Collie Exhibition
Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/CelticClassic
For a video promo, please go here: ( copy & paste this into your browser)