I have travelled all over the world and find, it used to beto my surprise but these days I look out for them, Highland and Gaelicfestivals all over the place.  Thisweek, for example, there is one in Riverside, Missouri, USA http://www.kcscottishgames.org/  This was the sort of place I had inmind when I titled this blog entry ‘foreign” - I meant ‘not Scottish or Irish’but of course the folks who live in Kansas City don’t’ think of guys inRiverside as foreign

My favourite, so far, is the Longs Peak Highland Festival (http://scotfest.com/ ) that is usually held inearly September.  Our firstencounter with this festival was accidental. The festival has grown immenselysince we first attended back in 1987 and its own origin back in 1976, nowspanning 4 days and a huge area of parkland just on the edge of Estes Park,Colorado, USA. It has everything you’d expect: athletes tossing traditionalScottish cabers, official Highland Dance competitions and of course loads toeat and drink.

The bagpipe bands are probably the most impressive part ofthe day. We’ve seen many there including military pipe bands from the AmericanInfantry, the Canadian Air Force and incredibly the Royal Ghurkas – the latterwith bandsmen about a foot shorter than everyone else. Interestingly, theirdress uniform is tartan trousers. We also once heard the Old Guard fife anddrum band that was incredibly impressive. This is composed of US infantry musicpersonnel primarily for national and international performance. Their precisionis military indeed and their uniforms perfect with white button-down trousersand red frock coats topped with a tri-cornered red hat. This band comprisedfifes, bugles and drums whilst all the others were bagpipes and drums.  Be sure to listen out for Scotland theBrave and of course Amazing Grace.

Inevitably all such festivals ‘foreign’ food and drink suchas stalls of shortbread (test it to see if its too crumbly), smoked salmon(Canadian & Tasmanian as well as Scottish), always whisky (sample a weedram of an 18 year matured in oak) and – best of all- the haggis stall.  Where passers-by ask you ‘what does ittaste like?’ and you get to reply ‘haggis!’  Most festivals also have clan booths or tents where you canfind your Scottish or Irish roots and also buy clan tartans (I should saidplaids) and other souvenirs.  Myfriends bought me a set of bagpipes – as you can see.  My question ever since has been – ‘what sort of tartan arethey in?’ Lots of people try to tell me its Royal Stuart

What do you think