It's a go!!

The grounds are set, the good weather has been ordered from Environment Canada and all we need is people!

Here is a picture just to whet your enthusiasm!

The festival has taken a big growth spirt this year. The field of Athletes is huge and we have more displays than last year!

There will be something for everyone! ... and don't forget to drop by the Tea Tent for a morsel of haggis! I suspect it's the only place in N.B. with a reasonable supply!!

Some Changes on the Grounds

The Gathering of the Scots is changing the location of the information booth and creating a separate souvenir booth.

The Information booth will be located just as you walk onto the grounds and highly visible and the souvenir booth will be in or near the vendor alley.

Amanda has been scouring the catalogues to find the perfect souvenirs, and Carrie and Christie who will be running the booth, are hoping that you will stop by and pick up a few of the great things they will have on sale so you too can celebrate your Scottish heritage or celebrate being Scottish for a day.

Pipes and Drums Scotland the Brave

A Hugh part of the festival is the sound of the Great Highland Pipes. This year we have four bands: Fredericton Junior Pipe Band Oromocto Legion Pipe Band Fredericton District Pipe Band and our very own Southern Victoria Pipe Band.

The individual bands perform at various time through out the day but the highlight happens at noon and 5:30 pm, when they join together and perform as a MASSED BAND. Seventy-five pipes and drums marching and playing in unison stirs the blood and gets your foot tapping.

Fly Casting Competition

Clifford Young has been working hard the last couple of years to introduce a new-to-our-games but a standard part of traditional Scottish Festivals -- Fly Casting Competition. Salmon fishing is a noble highland sport enjoyed by kings and poachers!

Prince Phillip and Prince Charles of the British Royal family are passionate fly fishermen when they are at Balmoral Castle in the Scottish Highlands.

So... come and try your luck er.. I mean skill.

This year, it's free to compete and no equipment is needed. We provide it all, except the skill part!

There are competitions for casting for accuracy and casting for distance.

Winners to recieve new rods and/or reels or other fishing related equipment.(well maybe slightly used in the competition) These prizes are first rate equipment.

PARTY AT THE CEILIDH Tickets Available now

What's a Ceilidh? A big Kitchen Party!

How do you say it? (Kay-Lee no stress on either syllable)

When? Saturday night, May 30th at the Perth-Andover Legion (9PM-1AM)

Who? Shanneyganock Plus Mason's Tender, the Gaelach Breacan Dancers and lots of pipes and drums.

How Much? Only $12 per person, Get your ticket either at the information booth at the Games or at Boardwalk Video or the Bogan Restaurant and Lounge.

I went to Headliner ShaneyGanock's website and was blown away by the energy and down to earth sound. This is going to be the best PARTY band ever, a great mix of Celtic root and Newfoundland fun. http://www.shanneyganock.ca/

I can't say enough about Mason's Tender. As a Celtic music fan, working at the Whisky Pairing Dinner, I found myself stopping what I was doing and listening to the music. They do lot's of old favourites and range from slow and melancholy to fast and rowdy!

This is definitely a Not-to-be-missed event! $12/person... This would be $50/person anywhere but at the Gathering of the Scots Highland Games and Festival! See you there!

CAMPING AT THE FESTIVAL

Now that you've decided to participate in the Gathering of the Scots Highland Games and Festival, where will you stay? Most of the local motels have rooms available, but if you like to camp, Baird's Memorial Campground is right next to festival grounds. They have modern trailer hook ups and excellent tenting sites over looking the majestic Saint John River (the Rhine of North America)
With your day pass to the grounds you can come and go as you please.


Contact Alfred or Charlene Baird at 273-3080
or email bairdc@nb.sympatico.ca

KILTED GOLF IN THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS

A great way to kick off the May 29th weekend is with a round of very light-hearted friendly golf. For some of us, it's the only time we play golf! And you don’t need a full set of clubs

It starts 4ish, just a few miles from Perth-Andover in the not so Ancient Scottish Highlands of Kintore at Mavor’s Golf & Sports Club, a challenging nine hole course designed by Pro/owner Dick Mavor.

It's a very unique golfing experience.

As you wander the hilly course searching for your ball or the green, you will be mesmerized as you hear the skirl of bagpipes echoing around you mixed in with the laughter and good-hearted teasing.

It’s all very reasonably priced at ONLY $10 each, everyone gets a prize and… there are cold beverages and light snacks for purchase.

For those needing a ride, there is a shuttle that will pick us at the Bogan and drop us off.
Scottish attire not mandatory but … there is a prize for best "Kilt-Kit"

See you there.
Someone snagged a caddy!

Truncated schedule

GATES OPEN AT THE GROUNDS
Saturday, May 30th at festival Grounds (8:30 am)
Family (immediate) $20, Adult $7, Student $5 for a complete day of everything Scottish
Athletics get underway at 9:00 AM
Main stage entertainment starts at 10 AM
Middle School Rugby
Firemen's Tug-of-war Challenge
Food & retail
Genealogy and Information kiosks
Stop into the GOS Information tent for more information

Take one of our free shuttles to your car - ask at the information tent

Festival Chair Rod conducting a tour of the grounds!

MEDIEVAL MEMORIES FROM PERTH-ANDOVER'S VERY OWN CASTLE

It's getting closer to the final weekend in May and folks are starting to anticipate what many think of as the highlight of the year in Perth-Andover.

Many folks start their celebration on Saturday, but one of the best kept secrets of the Games is the Social on the Castle Inn on Friday evening. Like all things that weekend, it's a very informal, gathering of friends you know and friends you'll meet for the first time.

There will be folks in kilts and other folks; there will be lots of pipes and drums in the courtyard to start off and then it's clear the floor for the Gaelach Breacan Dancers from Rothesay, who have been festival regulars for many years. The musical entertainment will be Moncton's own - Mason's Tender who wowed the crowd at the Whisky Pairing Dinner. If you like Celtic music this is definitely a must hear.

This is a club experience that you only get in the big centres.

See you there

Gathering of the Scots becomes truly international

I just got an email from Rod Mac.

"... Dirk just confirmed with Mike Zolkiewicz from Mass. He is one of the premier throwers in the US. Couple that with the guys coming from New Hampshire and Maine makes for a pretty good international event. Also it looks like we'll have competitors from Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, NB, and Nova Scotia. 5 provinces and 3 states...not bad for a small games in Perth...."

Don't forget that the World Master Dirk Bishop will be there as well as the Canadian Champion Greg Hadley will be front and centre AGAIN at this year's games.

It's almost here

Twenty-two Days left until the Gathering of the Scots Highland Games and Festival.

For all the latest specific information go to: www.gatheringofthescots.com

Whisky Pairing dinner; What to wear?

With the Whisky Pairing dinner only 18 days away, I'm sure many of you are wondering: "... what to wear, what to wear? Well, it's a gala event and last year we had everything from Victoria County casual, to formal wear, with lots of plaid in evidence. Many of the volunteers were in kilts as were some of the guests. It's a great opportunity to strut your scottish heritage.

Don't have a kilt? Aren't sure about this whole kilt business? Well, there are entry level kilts that look just fine. To be honest a $150 kilt doesn't hang as well as an $800 kilt, but they ... look just fine.

You may have time to shop if you hurry!


Some online sources we've used and have been pleased with.

http://www.sportkilt.com/ Entry level kilt with prices starting at $49 USD.

http://www.stillwaterkilts.com/ Kilts starting at $80 USD

Tartan choices are limited, but prices have never been better.

Whisky Pairing information

The Whisky Pairings page is up on the Gathering of the Scots web page. Wayland did a superb job.

BTW, tickets are going fast if not sold out already.

Tickets go on sale Today

The information on the Pairing Dinner for the website went to the webmaster today.

Tickets go on sale today. $50 per person. info2@gatheringofthescots.com or Call Rod MacIntosh at 273-6710

Don't dottle or you may be dissapointed.

Entertainment at the Whisky Pairing

Mason's Tender will provide the musical entertainment for the evening.

Here is their website

http://www.sonicbids.com/epk/epk.aspx?epk_id=143492

The Water Of Life

There seems to be a bit of a mystique surrounding Scotch Whisky, or in Scottish Gaelic, Uisge Beatha.

It is asked for or offered by different names, " ...a wee dram...", "... a drop..." , "... something to wet your whistle..." and so on.

Some like it neat, some with ice, some with varying amounts of water, some at room temperature and some a bit colder than that.

Hopefully, we'll come away from this amazing dinner with some of the mystique explained away. As we sample each course, John will give us a bit of the background of each malt as well as a hint on what flavours might cross our palates.

Each single malt has been chosen for it's unique flavours, from medicinal, to herbal, flowery and/or smoky peat to name a few.

For more details about this extraordinay evening, go to http://www.gatheringofthescots.com/ and see the page "Whisky Pairing"

Slainte!

The Single Malts Are Finalized.

John and Dirk have settled on the pairings and all the whisky has arrived in Perth-Andover.
It's interesting to note that all the whisky we're using is available here in New Brunswick.

The Menu

Introduction- Cheese and Fruit,
paired with Inverleven 1990, rare Lowland Malt

Salad- Spinach and Cashew,
paired with Benromach Traditional- Speyside

Scottish Appetizer- Haggis with Neeps and Tatties
(mild Scottish Haggis with turnips and potatoes mashed together),
paired with Connoisseurs Choice Ardbeg- Islay

Entrée- Roasted Stuffed Pork Loin ( stuffing- cranberries and walnuts)
Green Beans with Moray Sauce
Potatoes (whipped with sour cream),
Paired with Ardmore 1991- Speyside

Scottish Dessert- Chocolate Shortbread Torte and Scottish Whisky Fudge Tablets ,
paired with Benromach Peat Smoke- Speyside

Whisky Pairing Dinner Sat., April 25

The planning for the "Whisky Pairing" dinner is well underway under the direction of John Lang our whisky guru and Chef Dirk Bishop. This year may just outshine last year, which is no mean feat.

Tickets will go on sale shortly, so keep watching the website and local papers for information on how to buy the tickets, a bargain at $50 per person.

John has been working hard securing the best pairings of some interesting whiskys, which we'll post as soon as it's finalized.

To Whet your appetite, here is the menu.

Introduction
Cheese & Fruit

Salad
Spinach & Cashew

Appetizer
Haggis with Neeps & Tatties

Entree
Roasted Stuffed Pork Loin
Green beans with moray sauce
Whipped potatoes with sour cream


Dessert
Chocolate Shortbread Torte and Scottish Whisky Fudge Tablets