Scott Wallace

37th annual Smoky Mountain Highland Games

Posted on by Scott Wallace

The 37th annual Smoky Mountain Highland Games (TN) was held on May 19-20, 2018.  These games are held at the campus of Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee.   Sunny skies and 95 degree weather for Saturday and light rain all day on Sunday. Forty nine clan tents participating and Clan Wallace was among them.  Russ and Marcia Harper along with Aaron Harper and Susanne Dykes hosted the Clan Wallace tent.

The entertainment included the Colin Grant Adams, Albannach, Tannahill Weavers, Four Leaf Peat, The Selkie Girls, Trip Rogers, Marci the Entertainer, and the Good Thymes Ceilidh Band.  The Games included heavy athletics; which our very own Jeremy Wallace came in 2nd place in the amateurs “A” division. There were also a kilted run, Children’s Highland games competition, Highland dancing, Pipe band Competition and Border Collie Demonstration.  The vendors at the games included, Near and Far, The Gaelic Shop, The Celtic Knot, The Heelan Hound, Highland Kilt Company, the Scots Corner, Scottish Gourmet, the Celtic Croft and the St. Croix weaving.

Three Best tent awards were handed out, Clan Wallace won first place.

Thanks to all that came out and enjoyed the weekend with us.

Contributed By Marcia Harper

Scott Wallace

Attention Conveners!

Posted on by Scott Wallace

Attention Convenors

As of last fall the director of convenor position has changed to two people. This role has been taken on by Jean Wallace and Elmer Inman.

Either one will be more than happy to help you with any problems and they would like to hear from you about any

Ideas or suggestions of ways to set up tents and displays.  Please inform them on any awards you might receive at games.  Don’t forget to send them all your contact information and which games you convene so we can update our convenor files.

We hope to see some of you in November in Moab Utah.

All convenors east of the Mississippi contact

Jean Wallace

Jrwallace6@sbcglobal.net

All convenors west of the Mississippi contact

Elmer Inman

Wildmann69@gmail.com

Scott Wallace

18th Annual Bethabara Highland Games

Posted on by Scott Wallace

The Bethabara Highland Games (NC) was held on May 5, 2018.  Overcast skies and 80 degree was the weather of the day.   There were seventeen clan tents participating and Clan Wallace was among them.  Russ and Marcia Harper hosted the Clan Wallace tent.

These games are held at Historic Bethabara Park in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  The Highland Games at Historic Bethabara Park are held to pay respect to the heritage of the early Scots and Scots-Irish pioneers who helped and guided the Moravians in their settlement of the Wachovia tract.  This game is free and open for the enjoyment of the public.  Russ and I along Linda Tyrell and Grandson Adian marched in the parade of Tartan.

The entertainment included the Jamestown Pipes and Drum and North Carolina State Pipeband.  The Games included heavy athletics, Children’s Highland games competition, Children’s Colonial Games and storytelling, Border Collie Demonstration.  The vendors at the games included Lady Susan’s Shortbread, Near and Far Scottish,  Scottish Leather, Kelpie Pottery, Carolina Celt, and  Lumpy’s Ice Cream.

Thanks to all that came out and enjoyed the day with us.

 

Contributed by Marcia Harper

Scott Wallace

25th Annual Rural Hill Loch Norman Scottish Festival

Posted on by Scott Wallace

The Rural Hill Loch Norman Scottish Festival (NC) was held on April 21-22, 2018.  Sunny skies greeted the fifty eight clan tents participating and Clan Wallace was among them.  Other participants included the SAMS (Scottish American Military Society), Council of Scottish Clans and Societies, New World Celts, and St. Andrews Society of North Carolina.  Russ and Marcia Harper hosted the Clan Wallace tent.

These games are held at Rural Hill Farms in Huntersville, North Carolina.  Rural Hill, the homestead of Revolutionary War patriots Major John and Violet Wilson Davidson is located in the Catawba River Valley in northwest Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The Davidson family is representative of the thousands of Scots and Scots-Irish who contributed to the growth of the Carolinas and put a unique cultural stamp on the American South.

The parade of tartans was held at noon on Sunday. Clan Wallace waited patiently as fifty seven clans marched before us. Dr. Joseph Morrow, QC, Lord Lyon King of Arms greeted everyone as they came off the parade field for a job well done.

Special quests that stopped by our tent were, Dr. Joseph Morrow, QC, Lord Lyon King of Arms, Malcolm Sinclair the 20th Earl of Caithness, Chief of Clan Sinclair.

On Saturday for the opening ceremony 15 pipe bands took the field. What a glorious site and sound to be hold.

The Scottish American Military Society (SAMS) Post 1775 conducted a Flag Retirement ceremony on the main filed Saturday in accordance with the flag code.

Our thanks to all that came out and enjoy the weekend with us.

Pictured are: Dr. Joseph Morrow, QC, Lord Lyon King of Arms, Russ Harper, President Clan Wallace, and his wife Marcia Harper

Courtesy of Marcia Harper

Scott Wallace

2nd Annual Tartan Day North Carolina

Posted on by Scott Wallace

The 2nd annual Tartan Day North Carolina celebration was held on April 6, 2018 at the Raleigh Museum of History. North Carolina has a rich history of Scots relocating to the new world. During troubled times, many Highlanders relocated to the Cape Fear River Valley and from the Lowlands, Ulster Scots settled throughout the Piedmont and Southern Appalachians.

Clan Wallace, Clan McLean, Clan Donald and SCOT (Scottish Association of the Triangle) were invited to the Museum of History to help educated folks on how important Tartan Day is in North Carolina. Along with the three clans where Wake District Pipe and Drum, Our State Magizine, weapons and sword dancing.

Russ and Marcia Harper set up a display of things that related to Scots in North Carolina and Clan Wallace. We also handed out packets we created to teachers to help their students better understand what it is to be Scottish and how it relates to North Carolina. It was estimated that 300 home school children visited us for Tartan Day. While many of the folks that visited had no Scottish connection, they were interested in finding out about Tartan Day.

Thanks to all that came out and enjoyed the day.

Contributed by Marcia Harper

Scott Wallace

26th Annual Panama City Beach Highland Games

Posted on by Scott Wallace

The Panama City Beach Highland Games (FL) was held on March 3, 2018. These games are held at Frank Brown state park in Panama City Beach, Florida. Sunshine and wind was the weather of the day. There were forty clan tents participating and Clan Wallace was among them. Russ and Marcia Harper hosted the Clan Wallace tent.

The entertainment included the Santa Rosa Pipes and Drum, Emerald Coast Pipe and Drum, Tallahassee Pipe and Drum, and the Panama City Pipe and Drums, and the McGuire’s Pipe and Drums, The Blarney Girls and the Seven Nations. The Games included heavy athletics, Children’s Highland games competition, British Car show, Border Collie Demonstration and Highland dancing. The vendors at the games included, Celtic Store, Cameron British Food, The Wren’s Nest, Scots Corner, Scots den, and Near and Far Scottish.

At the end of the day Clan Wallace was awarded 1st place in Best clan tent. Clan Kennedy took 2nd place for Best Clan Tent, and Clan Johntson/e in American took 3rd place. Thanks to all that came out and enjoyed the day with us.

Contributed by Marcia Harper

Scott Wallace

8th Annual Tartan Day South

Posted on by Scott Wallace

The 8th annual Tartan Day South (SC) was held on March 24, 2018. Sunshine and cold temperatures on Saturday greeted the fourteen clan tents participating and Clan Wallace was among them. Russ and Marcia Harper hosted the Clan Wallace tent.

Tartan Day South is held at the Historic Columbia Speedway, where Richard Petty had is first NASCAR race.

Carolina British Classic cars, Medieval Encampment, Kids Rides and Quidditch where just some of the things you could enjoy. The festival included athletics both men and women, Scottish dancing and Irish dancing, Children’s games face painting and storytelling, and three pipe bands.

What a great weekend we had. A special thanks to Ned Wallace who came out to enjoy the day with us.

Contributed by Marcia Harper

Scott Wallace

25th Annual Queen Mary’s Scots Festival

Posted on by Scott Wallace

Set in the shadows of the RMS Queen Mary, the 25th Annual Queen Mary’s Scots Festival drew visitor from all over the world from February 17 and 18, 2018. Many came to visit this grand liner only to be treated to good old fashion Scottish hospitality. One of the smaller events in southern California with only 20 clans in attendance, Scots Festival is a venue that should be visited at least once in a lifetime.

 

 

 

 

 

Some highlights of the festival…

  • Approximately 7,000 visitors
  • Twenty Clan booths.
  • Two day regional Darts competition.
  • Pipe Band competitions in eight categories.
  • Traditional athletic competition.
  • Over fifty vendors.

Clan Wallace Booth

The booth was located front and center on the first deck of the ship which provided easy access for visitors. Ten signed the registry with two visitors interested in becoming involved with the Clan Wallace Society.

Convened by Greg Wallace with help from Pat and Nikki Schuller (Phoenix, AZ) and Sarah and Peter (Los Angeles, CA). Thanks to all for their help.

Location

RMS Queen Mary
1126 Queens Hwy.

Long Beach, CA 90802

 Sponsor
Queen Mary Special Events
1126 Queens Hwy.Long Beach, CA 90802

 

Contributed by Greg Wallace

Scott Wallace

24th Annual Sarasota Highland Games

Posted on by Scott Wallace

 

Russ Harper in his freedom pose outside of the Wallace tent

The Sarasota Highland Games (FL) was held on January 27, 2018.  These games are held at Sarasota fair grounds in Sarasota, Florida.   Sunshine and windy was the weather of the day.   There were twenty one clan tents participating and Clan Wallace was among them.  Russ and Marcia Harper hosted the Clan Wallace tent.

The entertainment included the Sarasota Pipes and Drum, Dunedin Pipes and Drums, Brendan Nolan and Booby Vesey and Mike Hickmont.  The Games included heavy athletics, Children’s Highland games competition, British Car show, Border Collie Demonstration and Highland dancing.  The vendors at the games included, Celtic Store, Cameron British Food, The house of Douglas bakery, Scots Corner, Scots den, Celtic Designs by Melodye, The Celtic Store, and Faire Isles Trading Company.

Thanks to all that came out and enjoyed the day with us.

 

Courtesy of Marcia Harper