Highland Dancing, Scottish Athletic Events, Piping and Drumming, Pipe Bands, delicious Scottish Foods These are just some of the wonderful sights, sounds and events that wait for you at the Bellingham Highland games held the first Saturday in June every year at Hovander Homestead Park.

Early in the morning you can hear the pipes drone across the mist covered fields as the pipers practice for the judging. The rat a tat tat of the snare drums and the distinctive boom of the bass drum fill the air and the showmanship of the tenor drummers will astound you.

Watch the flair of the dancers as they compete in elegant Scottish dances that will thrill and amaze you.

Watch the brute force and sheer skill of the Heavy Athletics as the hammer, sheaf and Caber are thrown in an intense competition.


HIGHLAND GAMES - A brief history
For nearly a thousand years, clansmen, chiefs and competitors came from all over Scotland and banded together to compete against one another in what is often defined as one of the most rigorous forms of competitions in the world... the Scottish Highland Games. Scottish Highland Games did not evolve easily. In the beginning stages of these gatherings, the arts of sport and battle practice were displayed. One of the first Highland Games was held toward the end of the 11th century, when King Malcolm Canmore became concerned about the way in which important news and documents were delivered to his highland retreat. He needed strong, healthy runners - full of stamina - to race against one another over rocky terrain to the top of Creag Choinnich. The winner received a beautiful baldric sword, a purse of gold and the title of the King's messenger. Indeed, this somewhat rustic clan gathering became what we now know as the Scottish Highland Games. As the Scots emigrated throughout the World, they brought with them their love of the traditional Highland Games. It was only natural that Highland Games would soon spring up wherever the Scots settled. Today, the Highland Games touch many areas and lives of people throughout the United States and Canada.

In honor of all who are helping,
all who are gone,
and all who will carry on

You will not be forgotten
September 11, 2001
God Bless America