WEST UNION – The inaugural Mountain State Scottish and Celtic Gathering was held on Saturday, May 29, 2021 at the Doddridge County Park. Despite unseasonably cold weather, attendance was high as crowds from all over West Virginia came to experience authentic Scottish music, food, highland games and more.
One of the main highlights of the day was the highland games, presented by Mid-Atlantic Scottish Athletics (MASA), led by Alex Duncan and Dave McKenzie. The events included in this year’s games were the stone throw, in which a 25-30 pound rock is thrown like a shot put; the weight toss, which involves throwing weights up to 4 stone, or 56 pounds; the hammer toss, which uses hammers representative of traditional Scottish blacksmithing hammers; the caber toss, which involves throwing a large pole called a “caber”; and the final event, throwing weights over a high bar. MASA brought 60 athletes, including 17 women, from all over the east coast to compete in this year’s festival, and hopes to bring even more to next year’s event.
Other events included musical performances by Iona, Aurora Celtic, and the Jack Dunlap band, as well as traditional Scottish storytelling on the main stage. Local groups were also in attendance, including Mountain Man Axe Throwing from Morgantown, who set up a booth for visitors to try their hand at axe-throwing; Dan Lipscombe from Smithburg, who put on an authentic blacksmithing demonstration; and Laughing Tractor Farms from Meathouse Fork, who brought three of their registered Scottish highland cattle (also known as “highland coos”) to the festival grounds.
The Doddridge County Parks and Recreation Commission has committed to funding the festival for the next five years, and planning is already underway to make 2022’s festival even bigger. Next year’s events are scheduled to include a rugby tournament, a Scottish encampment, more musical acts, and much more.
