“When it was announced they’d had their last highland games, people kept saying, ‘It’s a natural, move it to Scotland County,’” said Beachum McDougald, owner of McDougald Funeral home in Laurinburg and member of the Highland Games planning committee.
The first-ever Highland Games in Scotland County has been in the works for more than a year and will kick off Friday with an opening reception at St. Andrews College.
The event, which runs until Sunday, has attracted a much bigger crowd than organizers originally expected.
“It’s going really well,” McDougald said.
When the committee first started planning, they assumed they’d have maybe 25 individual Scottish clan tents, if they were lucky, because of the economic recession.
“We have 46,” McDougald said. “That blew us away.”
McDougald said visitors are coming in from all over the United States, some as far away as California, Oregon, Texas and Florida.
And this year the Clan MacLaren Society of North America is holding their annual general meeting at the Scotland Games, bringing an additional 150 people to the county.
“It’s always good when there’s an annual general meeting because it brings lots of people,” McDougald said.
McDougald said a full schedule of events is planned for the three-day Highland Games, including lots of activities for children. For kids aged 4-12, there will be athletic events they can participate in and each participant will receive a medal. Those participating will also be able to don a traditional Scottish kilt, giving mom, dad and the grandparents a perfect photo-op.
There are also many events catered to adults including a wine tasting Saturday.
“Everything is just falling nicely into place,” McDougald said about the upcoming games.
During their initial planning, the committee guessed they’d get maybe 5,000 people to attend, but the highland games held in Charleston, S.C. last weekend drew a crowd of 9,000.
“So now we’re planning for more than 5,000 people,” McDougald said. “I just hope the weather will hold out.”
With a name like McDougald, the Scottish ancestry is obvious. McDougald’s great, great grandfather, Alexander McDougald, came off the boat from Scotland into North Carolina in 1767, but he said he’s just like any other North Carolinian and a blend of many nationalities including English and Irish.
The Highland Games starts Friday with a welcoming reception from 4:30-7 p.m. at the St. Andrews Presbyterian College Scottish Heritage Center. Saturday, the games begin at 8 a.m. at the John Blue House at 13040 X-Way Road in Laurinburg with the opening ceremony at 11 a.m. The closing ceremonies are at 4:30 p.m.
At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, there will be a Ceilidh and Wine Tasting at the Cypress Bend Vineyards located at 21904 Riverton Road in Wagram. There is an admissions charge at the door.
Sunday at the historic Old Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church in Laurinburg there will be a Kirkin’ of the Tartans Worship Service followed by a luncheon. At 2 p.m. the honorary co-chair, Donald McDougald, who is responsible for many of the Highland Games in the United States, will give a presentation titled, “From Scotland, U.K. to Scotland County, USA: The Mac-Scattering of the Appin Clans.”
To get to the games from Richmond County, take Highway 74 East toward Laurinburg. The exit for Bypass U.S. 15/401 and turn left at the second stop light, West Boulevard. Wal-Mart will be on your left. Follow the signs to the John Blue House.
For more information on the games, visit www.schgnc.org.
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