TOPSHAM — Havers! ‘Tis that time of the year again. Experience a wee bit of Scotland on Saturday, Aug. 17, as the skirl of the bagpipes and hundreds of men, women and children clad in colorful tartans signal the 35th annual Maine Highland Games held this year at the Topsham Fairgrounds.
Gates open at 8 a.m. and from then until 5 p.m., Games-goers will enjoy all kinds of music, including harps, fiddles, vocals, pipes and drums; graceful Highland dancers; world-class Highland athletics; border collies herding sheep; Highland cattle; vendors offering a wide range of Scottish crafts; delicious foods; and friendly folks.
There’ll also be historians and genealogists on hand to help trace family roots back to Scotland. Learn about the exciting archaeological dig occurring at Somersett Point on Merrymeeting Bay, and the Scottish Diaspora project in which Maine has been chosen to represent Scottish immigrants throughout the United States.
Net proceeds of the Highland Games fund scholarships. During recent years, recipients have received grants to study everything Scottish from bagpipes and drums to kilt making, harp and fiddle tuition, dance, and even Gaelic language skills.
Gates open at 8 a.m., with opening ceremonies at 10 a.m. and the massed pipe bands at 10:30 a.m.
Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the gate (children $5).
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