Dust off your bagpipes and break out your kilts.
The Bitterroot Celtic Games and Gathering is set to take place on the grounds of the historic Daly Mansion in Hamilton this weekend, Aug. 17-18.
This year’s events will include a scotch and whiskey tasting, Highland and Irish dancers, pipe bands and drumming competitions along with the Scottish American Athletic Association sanctioned Highland Games. The event will also include the traditional gathering of the clans, commercial booths, activities for kids, live music and food vendors.
A bagpiper practices for the day’s events at the Bitterroot Celtic Games & Gathering at the Daly Mansion in Hamilton on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023.
The history of the Highland Games goes back to the time of King Malcolm III of Scotland (c. 1031 – 13 November 1093), when the king summoned men to a race in order to find the fastest runner in Scotland to be his royal messenger.
The Bitterroot Celtic Games and Gathering’s Highland Games has become the biggest Highland athletic competition in Montana, drawing men and women from throughout Montana and the region to compete. The games traditionally include caber toss, sheaf toss, hammer throw, and weight over bar.
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“So it’s kind of like a sanctioned rodeo,” Bitterroot Celtic Society President Laura Reichart said. “They go from one event to another, and then they can rack up points as they go. From there, the athletes can also go to regional or even national competitions.”
