Did You Know?
Early parkway advocates pushed for a route that went through Virginia, northwest North Carolina, and into Tennessee. Photo from NPS Archives
55th Annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games
Linville, NC • Near Milepost 305
A bagpipe band marches past spectators at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games
Dates
July 8-July 11, 2010
Hours vary. Visit http://www.gmhg.org for more information.
Cost
Prices can be found at http://www.gmhg.org/ticketinfo.htm.
Contact
Grandfather Mountain Highland Games
828.733.1333
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http://www.gmhg.org
Location
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The 55th Annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games and Gathering of Scottish Clans brings the color of tartan plaids and the clamor of bagpipe bands to the North Carolina Highlands Thursday, July 8 through Sunday, July 11, 2010. Brawny athletes, delicate dancers, rocking Celtic music, and a spectacular highland setting makes this vibrant celebration of Scottish culture the best highland games in America.
The four days are filled with traditional ceremonies, competition in heavy-weight Scottish athletic events; highland dancing; bagpipe band parades; piping, drumming, and harp competitions; sheep herding demonstrations by Scottish border collies; and concerts featuring a wide variety of Celtic music. Concessionaires are also on hand to sell tastes of the Scottish highlands and tents are set up to help guests trace their roots and learn more about their Scottish heritage.
During the past decade, the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games was selected twice as one of the Top Ten Events in the Southeastern United States. The readers of Blue Ridge Country Magazine picked GMHG as “Best Moment for the Mountains” and “Best Festival” during their choice awards.
The GMHG brings attention to the North Carolina High Country, the Blue Ridge Parkway’s backyard, with its grand scale and focus on the culture and traditions of the area. The breathtaking backdrop of Grandfather Mountain rising above MacRae Meadows draws attention to the beauty of the land and its importance. This long-withstanding event ties the North Carolina High Country together like no other.
Four-day advanced tickets can be purchased up until about a month before the event. After that date individual tickets for individual days/events can be purchased at the Games or at off-site events. Prices can be found at http://www.gmhg.org/ticketinfo.htm.
