We regularly attended the New Hampshire Highland Games and Festival at Loon Mountain in Lincoln right up until COVID. They cancelled the festival during the initial outbreak and limited attendance last year. The games were sold out before we bought tickets so we missed it last year. They limited attendance this year but not as limited as the year before and we were able to get tickets. It is a three day festival with a plethora of things to do. There is music, games, clan gatherings, pipe bands, merchandising, beer tents, and demonstrations among other things. We tend to like the music and pipe bands.
MUSIC
There are at least three music venues active at all times during the festival: the concert tent, the pipers pub and governor’s lodge. There is quite a range of music from Gaelic folk music to Bag rock. I took a picture of the artists and a snippet of their music so you can get a small sample of the music available at the festival.
While the music was acceptable, it was not exciting this year. We missed some acts from the past: The Red Hot Chili Pipers, Brigadoon’s, Frasier and Haas and even Prydeen.
HIGHLAND GAMES
On Friday there were sheep dog trials. They had a large enough herd of sheep that the dogs would each get their own set of four sheep to herd. Then the dogs would put the sheep through their paces.
The caber toss is a unique event where the contestants try to throw a telephone pole. There were three classes: Women, Senior and Pro.
Clan tents, Parade and Massed Pipe Bands
Cooking Demo
It was fun to watch the cooking demonstration. I might-ah learnt sumptin.
Food and Beer
The good, bad and ugly:
On the first day, the Scottish food had not made it to Loon Mt. Resort. So the pickings were a little thin. Saturday had 14,000 people and the food courts were mobbed. I was so frazzled, I failed to take pictures of our meal.
One of the must dos is Polly’s Pancake Parlor.
REEL REASON we go
We enjoyed staying at the Carroll chalet with Wink’s brother, George, sister in law, Rebecca, and nephew, Warren. It’s been a long time since
we last got together.
I think that pretty much covers the long weekend. The weather was good, the company was good and there was plenty to do at the festival.
Mark and Wink
I liked your snippets of music. I bet your old pal Peter Wu would have enjoyed attending with you.
Looks like a real fun festival.
No photos of Muk in his McMoeller regalia? sigh