The idea of the Scottish Games is to teach people the history and customs of the people of Scotland. They've got traditional games, costumes, displays, food, and all kinds of interesting stuff.

The Scots are doing it right.

The Games are fun. This isn't a boring history lesson, this is walking around seeing all kinds of people dressed in different costumes representing some part of the Scottish past, or present. The bagpipes are blaring from every corner of the fairgrounds - the smell of food is in the air - and there are interesting people to look at everywhere.

From 1746 to 1783 it was illegal to wear a kilt, or other Highland garb in Scotland. This was to break up the power of the Highland clans. After 1783, when the law was repealed, wearing kilts were mainly worn during traditional ceremonies.

Bagpipes did not actually originate in Scotland- they are an ancient instrument, which has been found in many civilizations throughout time. It is thought that possibly the Romans brought the bagpipes to Scotland.

"So I told Prince Harry, 'I'll bet you won't tell your father to go and stuff a sock in it"

"Then what happend?"

"So the bloody stupid bastard actually went and did it!"

"So what then?"

"Well I lost the bet, and now I have to wear a skirt for the rest of the week."

"Really? I thought you wore it because you liked the tickle of the wind on your bum."

Be Part of History!

This woman was portraying Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary was a wild woman with an interesting history. She was crowned Queen while still an infant and had a tumultuous reign, ending in a horrible and sad death.

YOU can take an important role in the re-enactment of a great piece of Scottish history. Place your left hand up against your computer monitor- make sure that it lines up with the hand displayed in the picture above.

Keep your hand there, and look at the picture again.

That's what was left after they chopped off her head.

Fantastic set of pictures. Thank you for taking the time. The Scottish games is pure fun and a great way to preserve Scottish heritage.

Did you try the new ale? Kilt Lifter! It was a fine drink....

Great photos, and funny captions. On your front page, though: a bagpipe doesn't blare, it skirls!

I really liked the captions. They made me laugh.. The Queen cutting off the head thing was pretty funny also.

As the Scottish Games/Festival Manager I want to thank you for great pictures and wonderful captions. I've been laughing all morning. My committee thanks you too. I would like to see your other pictures and discuss a possible printing of pictures and your captions. The drum major on the right is Brian Wilson, from Northern Ireland, the current World Champion. On the left is Kevin MacHeffner, from AZ, currently ranked 3rd in the world. Its too funny.

Great Photo,s and lots of funnys.Being viewed in N.Ireland. Keep up all the good work.This is the best Games in the world ,all thanks to Angie and her team Well done

The two Drum Majors are actually saying:

'Andy says I'm wearing a travelling tartan rug, what do you think?'

The DM with his back to camera is saying:

Who the stuff is Andy Grant??' :O)

.........and Iggy! If my Band has skirling pipes the PM is NOT doing his job! A skirling pipe shows a piper that a) doesn't know how to play and b) doesn't know how to tune them! :O(

What the two drum majors are really saying is "that drum major Mickie what a Scottish Hottie." LOL The other drum major (Jacy) is thinking "This toss will go up 5 stories high and fall on Mickie's head. " Ha ha Great picture display!!!

Lets see more pictures!!!!

It was great to see the pics of the games. They give everyone an insight and a taste of what is definitely the best Games in the World and organised by one of the nicest people in the World too - Angie Roddan.Keep it up!(0;

Alan, you got that one right . Angie is the best!!!

What a funny review of the highland games! I really appreciated the photos and clever writing. But you seemed to miss the guy who had the drum that sounded like poultry on its way to the slaughter. OH, WAIT... (scrolling up)... nah, you found Mr. Chickendrum. Awesome!

Thanks for the fun review of the Scottish Games. Did you know that there were several Woodlanders that took part in the athletic events on Saturday? Jeff Scott, Kraig Scott, Kent Malcolm and Jame Wilson. Look them up next year. They put up their tents on the west side of the field. You will also find them competing at the Dixon Games in September!

Soooo funny! A+! :-)

(Operator of BagpipeJourney.com, home of "How to become a Rotten Piper.")

Great Pics and editorial. In addition to the local athletes we have pipers and drummers living and playing in Woodland, Winters and Davis. Also local Bagpipe Bands (Sac). I would like to see the rest of your pictures.

Thanks for putting together this great collage, which will serve as a fitting e-souvenir of my first trip to the Sacramento Games. I'm hoping there will be a second installment, containing some of the funny poses struck by Mickie and other drummies (Brian W. for sure) in our very own tent area. And lavish thanks to D/M mom Angie Roddan for thinking of everything to make the Games comfortable for D/M competitors -- if only every Games had the same accomodating attitude!!

It's no fun to go online and read about your parents bangers. Not fun at all.

Yes, I definitely agree with Shamed Daughter. Friend's parent's bangers are not much fun either.

Shouldn't you be working on your PowerPoints or something?

What a hoot! I can't stop laughing! Thank you for a great presentation. I can hardly wait for the next set of pictures and great story lines.

Great pictures, did not make it this year, will make it next year. Thank again.

I would love to know who Scottish Heavies Fan is as the people he/she listed...Kraig, Jeff and Kent are my family and Jame is their friend. I keep in touch with Woodland thru the internet and many phone calls to Mom. Thanks for having such a site! Now that I have found it I will be back to check on things. BTW Kent has been participating in the Scottish Games for several years now and does quite well in the competitions. A quick hello from Down Under from me, Candi Malcolm Smith, to all my family and friends that known about this site longer that I have :)

Candi, it's your oldest sister

Any news about the dates for the Scottish Games this year?

I just found your "site". What a hoot, man! I look forward to seeing this year's photo interpretation. Keep up the good work.

Sandi,

I too was looking forward to this year's Scottish Games pictures.

But I can't get the Scottish Games people to respond to any of my e-mails. Who knows, maybe they didn't like the story last year- maybe it was the Mary Queen of Scots thing. I'm not sure. So for now, I don't have any plans for a story in 2006.

Scottish Games will be held April 28-30 same great place.

Looking for Scottish Games schedule of events..specifically Saturday, 29 April

funni pictures and captions! needed pictures for a project and I spent a while looking through them and actually laughing

"Jesus" as you call him is infact portraying Adam Dubh (the Black) aka Gunn (pronounced: Goon-ya), the title given to the chief of clan Gunn. Clan Gunn has never been known for its sunny disposition. The picutre labeled Owner/slave disagreement is a misnomer. Mairi (the woman seated) and I (Heulwyn)(standing) are have a disagreement whether Adam (Gunn, in the background) is "Black" because he is dark/wicked/sinister or something else... (Think skein dubh, your black-handled knife. Wicked, sinister? or other?) The highland scotts of the 16th century wouldn't really have slaves. There really wasn't that kind of class distinction. They were too close to the edge of living/dying to bother with those kinds of frivolities. FYI: the guy with the "chicken drum" (we'd eat that tiny chicken if we could only find the dratted thing!) is dressed in ENGLISH Elizabethan garb of the middle-class merchants, not scottish.

I would love to provide more pictures...But this year I tried to contact the Scottish Caledonian Society at least 10 times to ask about the games, offering to write a story, take pictures, etc.. They never responded.

I guess maybe they didn't like last year's story and didn't want any further coverage here, so I didn't bother going out for more pictures.

Mr. Inside Woodland, Next year, contact me and I will set you up. I am sure the Caledonian Club would love to have you and they would love to have the games profiled on your website. You do a great job. City Cell Phone 681-8504

The rockin' band pictured above is Seven Nations. Seen them twice at the games. Have one of their CDs. Absolutely LOVE them. Also at the Scottish Games, another awesome band to check out is the Wicked Tinkers. They are there nearly every year. Excellent music and they are very fun to watch too...

i have been to many highland games infact i grew up with the games

Actually, it took 19 years before Mary had her head removed. Queen Elizabeth I, after putting it off for years, gave the order. But Mary's son, King James VI of Scotland inherited the English Throne and became King James the First of England when Queen Elizabeth died. It is how Scotland and England became under one monarch finally. The lady playing the Queen is an actress named Laurie, that is supported by the Royal St. Gyles Guild to help portray a happy part of Mary's life, when she progressed through the country side meeting the Scottish people through what was called The Progresses. Having just been widowed from the King of France, she returned to Scotland to try to regain the love and control of her country. Mary was the last monarch to be of Scotland solely, and modern Scots still look to her as a role model. In the Queen's Service, bringing knowledge of history to all. Glad to see many enjoyed the games last year. -Lady Mary Baroness of Haddington

A friend of mine found this site looking for next year's game date. I love these pictures; sorry to hear you did not return in 2006. The first "Hottie" picture is of my daughter and her boyfriend. She has been attending the games with me since she was 6 years old. Her boyfriend's brother is the Highland dancer you have featured very first on your site, and later under Hotties for the girls. I would love a print of these pictures. Could you contact me?

I love the site! My family, friends, and I have been attending the Scottosh Games there is Woodland for almost 15 yrs. We have started a jewlelry business and would like to be a vendor at this year's fair. Please email us at jbtrflei@yahoo.com

umm could you please let me know when the Scottish Games are so that we may attend :) THANKS

niecerz105@hotmail.com

GOOD PICS, I DIDN'T REALIZE WHAT ALL WAS THERE. (I SAW WES)

The chicken box or chicken drum has a larger brother - the RUMBLE POT. It sounds like the effects of eating back haggis and beans. We made the mistake of putting a microphone to it about 5 years ago and the noise, uh beautify sounds, ended up knocking the dancers off the stage (with laughter????). I think the cannon was more subtle.

Love the pix! Good job.

Mr. Inside Woodland. I am not sure who you tried to contact 10 times at the Caledonian Club, and they did not respond...I am a board member of the Caledonian Club and Animal Venue Chair for the Games and Media Liasion. Please contact me for any information. randywave@yahoo.com

Randy-

I did receive tickets this year, thanks to your president. But unfortunately I was not able to attend. We did have someone go, and they took pictures and posted them to the blog. Thanks very much for your response.

Going to be attending tomorrow. Bringing numerous "younger" people with me of various ethnicities to get a taste of Scotland and what it's all about. Pictures are great and captions had me laughing out loud! Looking forward to seeing it all tomorrow...

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