Jason and I went to the Utah Scottish Festival & Highland Games last week. We are both part Scottish but that had little to do with why I wanted to attend. Why then you ask? Come on, a bunch of tough guys running around in kilts and chucking things. Need I say more? Seriously people, it’s a no-brainer. Although I am almost completely kidding, I must say that it was cool to see so many men proudly dressed in their kilts.
We had a great time at the festival even though the weather was less than accommodating. It had been raining all day and it was uncharacteristically cold for the middle of June but we weren’t about to let the downpour and chilly environment stop us from going. With some winter boots, rain jackets, scarves, umbrellas, and hand warmers we were ready to face whatever the storm threw at us. Luckily, the weather turned out to be more cooperative than expected. The rain subsided for the evening soon after we arrived so we only got sprinkled on for a few minutes. Also, tents had been erected everywhere to keep the damp out and they did a pretty good job.
We spent the evening perusing the booths of vendors, which sold the Scottish and the not-so-Scottish, chowing down on some fish and chips, listening to all the clans present themselves, and watching the Wicked Tinkers. The Wicked Tinkers are a tribal Celtic band. I know you are now envisioning a boring and dignified group of musicians performing to a blasé crowd but you are way off. They were all decked out in their kilts, leather jackets, and muscleman tank tops as they rocked hardcore on bagpipes, tribal drums, didgeridoos, and Irish Horns. The audience was jumping around and dancing like they were the hottest thing to hit the stage since Kenny G. I must admit, it seemed a little bizarre at first how crazy the spectators became over a bagpipe-wielding kilt-adorned group of middle-aged men but Jason and I were quickly on board. They were energetic and captivating and the ancient melodies they produced were primal and pleasing. It was nearly impossible not to clap or tap along. We really enjoyed ourselves and the rest of the onlookers obviously did too.
I would recommend Scottish festivals to anyone that finds joy in men donning skirts unabashedly, loves to gobble sheep stomach filled with various organs, or likes to get down to a good jig.