Scottish Video games return to Altamont Fairgrounds

ALTAMONT, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The annual Scottish video games shed a lightweight on all issues Gaelic tradition — stone throwing, bagpipe enjoying and conventional meals had been all a part of as we speak’s festivities. 

The competition attracts a whole lot from everywhere in the Northeast together with solo bagpipe competitors hopefuls Billie Jo Anderson and Tim Department, who traveled from Connecticut. 

“It’s enjoyable enjoying for those that have by no means heard the bagpipes earlier than, you see lots of people which are listening to them for the primary time and lots of people who’ve been enjoying for years,” Department stated.

Each Anderson and Department educated for years to grasp the pipes, one thing they are saying isn’t any straightforward process. 

“Every individual is completely different, they are saying it takes three years to make a piper a number of us had been on pipes inside a years time and also you frequently study so you might play a lifetime and there’s all the time room for enchancment,” Anderson stated.  

One other spotlight of the Scottish video games — household connections. Individuals collect to study extra about their ancestry and clan households and the way they got here to be right here within the U.S.

St. Andrew’s Society of Schenectady has a specialised sales space arrange for individuals to seek out their dwelling clan.  

“Now we have books right here which you could lookup your identify, your final identify and see if it matches with a clan. 30% of the scots had been of a clan and 70% had been district households,” Robert Halley, Former Vice President of St. Andrew’s Society, stated.  

Donning his ancestral colours of the Pringle clan, Halley stated the Scottish video games are his favourite  days of the 12 months. 

“An exceptional alternative to consider Scotland, to consider the heritage of Scotland,” Halley stated.

The video games proceed on Sunday with much more traditions nonetheless to come back.