Dancers are judged on four categories of dancing. The dancing competition attracts some of the world's best performers. The Bear is a heart pumping 1,500 foot hill run that takes its participants all the way to the top of the mountain.Īpart from grueling track and heavy athletics, there are games that feed the soul as well. The Marathon is a 26.2 mile long race beginning in Boone, NC and ending in MacRae Meadows, NC. The track competitions form the opening events. There are separate events for amateurs and professionals, making the games all-inclusive. The ancient Celtic field sports played include the hammer throw, weight toss, turning the caber, turning the sheaf, highland wrestling, kilted mile run and the clan tug-o-war, with the caber-toss being the most popular one. Multi-hued tartans add a dash of color at Parade of the Tartans, when the clans march to the tune of drums and bagpipes. The festivities kick off with the Torchlight Ceremony, in which each clan comes forward and adds their torch to the bonfire to announce their presence. MacRae Meadows, nestled at the foot of the magnificent Grandfather Mountain reverberates with the sounds of bagpipes, singing, dancing and the cheers of the applauding crowds. More than 30,000 people and 120 clans are drawn to the event, the driving force being to promote Gaelic culture and keep alive the rich Scottish tradition of piping, dancing and athletics. The games are a riotous celebration of Highland culture with competitions in singing, dancing and athletics. Campers and RVers with a penchant for all things Gaelic can head to this beautiful mountain retreat, that is highly reminiscent of the Scottish landscape. Register Here.The 60th Grandfather Mountain Highland Games and Gathering of Scottish clans conducted in Linville, North Carolina will be held between July 9-12 this year. “The Bear” – For those interested, the first 800 hearty souls to register (separately) will run a 5-mile footrace with 1,568 feet of elevation to assault Grandfather Mountain. It is 16.5 miles from Blowing Rock to Grandfather Mountain, MacRae Meadows. Please focus your search along NC Route 221 (and its parallel scenic Blue Ridge Parkway) between Grandfather Mountain and Blowing Rock to ensure easiest possible access and reduced mountain road driving. Home and Condo Rentals: Airbnb and VRBO home rentals are plentiful and again for any budget. See town of Blowing Rock visitors center web site here. However, we are hoping our group will center itself in Blowing Rock to maximize our time together outside the Games and to reduce driving. We recommend looking at the towns of Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and Boone which would allow 15-40 minute drives to/from Grandfather Mountain. Hotels, Motels, Inns, B&B’s: Wide choices available depending on your budget and desire to be close to the Games. There are other nearby camp grounds, some with cabins, as well. Ed Matheson and his family have established “Matheson Corner” at the Grandfather Mountain Campground (see Google Maps). We recommend this location for its convenience and pricing.Ĭamping: Grandfather Mountain has camping and RV sites, but they book very early and you will have to act fast. The web site is However, you must call their USA reservations number (+1 828.414.9230) directly in order to book through our room block. The Green Park Inn will provide a room block of up to 40 rooms at discounted rates for Clan Matheson Guests. We are planning to center our Matheson Clan activities in Blowing Rock, which we felt provides the best alternatives for us to host an offsite Matheson Clan Parliament and Gathering, with a Southern/Appalachia Barbeque dinner on Saturday afternoon/evening. You will want to have your lodging booked early, but we found no problem finding suitable lodging in 2018 just 30-days prior to the Games. Recommended Lodging: There are abundant places to stay and types of facilitates. and Knoxville, TN (“TYS”) is about 170 miles to the west.ĭriving distances from main centers and some other possible holiday destinations for you to extend your stay: Atlanta - 280 milesĭenver, CO – 1,478 miles (21.5 hrs drive) Regional Flights: Raleigh-Durham Airport (“RDU”) is 189 miles due east of Blowing Rock, NC. International/National Flights: Closest international airport is Charlotte, NC (call sign “CLT”), which is 91 miles south of Grandfather Mountain.
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