Alma Highland Festival to celebrate Scottish Culture May 25-27


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To celebrate Scottish and Celtic culture, Alma College is hosting the weekend-long Alma Highland Festival, May 25-27.

Founded in 1967, the festival was intended to bring together Alma College with the surrounding community by celebrating their shared Scottish heritage, said Kirsten Simmons, the festival's president.

Roughly 10,000 people from all over North America come to the festival to compete in its many athletic, band and dance competitions, and enjoy the authentic Scottish entertainment and food.  

The Entertainment Tent will host a variety of Celtic and non-Celtic musicals performances, including Jedi mind Trip, the Chelsea House Orchestra, the Mudmen, the Steel City Rovers and The Founding.

Simmons said one thing attendees won't want to miss is the massed bands performance at 12:30 p.m., May 26. All 500 pipers who make up the 16 massed bands nearly fill Bahlke Field as they perform together before the competition begins.

The Highland Festival weekend also includes four dance competitions, which will all be held in the Hogan Center. Dancers of different age groups from all over the United States and Canada will compete on May 26 in the Great Lakes Open Championship and Open Premiership. The dancers will perform the current highland steps that the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dance has set for the current year. 

 After the Great Lakes Closed Championship on May 27, the top dancers in each age group will go on to represent the Midwest region at the U. S. Championship of Highland dance in July.

Throughout the weekend, guest can enjoy a variety of traditional Scottish athletic competitions, such as the caber toss, the open stone and Scottish Hammer competitions. Anyone who registers before the festival begins is welcome to compete in these events.

The festival also offers authentic Sottish food and beverages. Alma Brewing Company has created a brew called "Freedom", which has been brewed specifically for the festival.  

Returning to the festival is the Celtic Caterer Chef Eric W. McBride, who travels around the country preparing and serving a wide variety of Celtic dishes. He will be hosting several cooking demonstrations throughout the weekend for audiences, who will then be able to taste the food after watching.

The open ceremony begins at 12:15 at the football stadium with the Parade of Tartans and the massed bands performance. The festival will be held rain or shine, and tickets are $15 at the gate. To buy tickets for $10 online or to learn more information about the festival, visit their website.

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