Fun and Games

Grandfather Mountain overlooks beautiful MacRae Meadows, site of the 2007 Highland Games.

The food vendors set up right by the entrance so that they can catch people coming and going. That raspberry lemonade was gooood.

Since the parking area and the pickup and drop-off points for the shuttle buses was a good distance from the actual games there were carts for those whose souvenir purchases were a bit too bulky to carry. I looked for the tent where the blonds were being sold, but this must have been the last one.

There were athletic competitions going on all day. This woman was running in a footrace. I wonder which clan she belongs to. I also wonder where the batarang is stored on that utility belt.

The piping competition is always popular. I won't know who won until tomorrow.

The music in the Celtic Groves is what I love the most. This band is Mother Grove.

This isn't a chick-fight. The fiddler from Mother Grove jumped down off the stage to dance with a woman from the audience.

This is The Killdares. They are my favorites of all the groups appearing at the games this year.

The Killdares fiddler, Roberta Rast, is smoking hot. And she plays the fiddle very well too.

They had everybody up on their feet.

This is the group Albannach. This is the best picture I could get of them - and forget about video taping. There must have been more than 2000 people jammed around that stage. Most of them were content to listen with no hope of actually seeing anything. I worked my way up for more than 5 minutes to get this close. But is was worth it. They are a damn fine traditional high-energy pipe and drum band.