Highland Games Practice Day

We are again hosting a Highland Games Practice Day at Lower Kingston Stadium, Saturday, May 23rd at 11AM.

All are invited to attend!  Have you ever wanted to try out Highland Games without the pressure of competition?  Whether it is the caber toss or hammer throw, come and learn all about the different events, and give them a try alongside experienced instructors.

Practice now, compete later, at CelticFest July 18th at Squaw Creek Park!

This event is free and open to the public!

Burns Dinner

Our annual Burns Dinner is approaching!  Saturday, January 24th, social time starting at 4pm.  Be sure you click on the tab above to make your reservation.  We have several areas where we need help: setting up and decorating starting at 10AM, providing soda bread for the tables, providing desserts or judging the winners of our dessert contest, giving toasts, serving, providing raffle items, and cleaning up.  Let a council member know if you are able to help with any of these tasks, to make the event a fun and easy night for all!

Guy Fawkes Night

It’s that time of year again, and this one promises to be a great turn-out!  Join fellow HAGGIS members at the Kula farm starting at 4pm for socializing and potluck, then stick around for the traditional bonfire, effigy burning, and fireworks starting at 6pm.  Contact a council member for directions.

Upcoming event, all about Scotland!

Though the world’s attention has been on Scotland in recent days, few Midwesterners realize Scotland’s influence close to home. Sir Walter Scott never visited the United States yet left a lasting legacy on the landscape. From the states of Ohio to Nebraska, towns christened Waverly (named for a fascination with Scott’s best-selling Waverley novels) burgeoned forth between 1830 and 1880, including Waverly, Iowa. The New York Times noted last year that these novels were more influential than those by Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, and Herman Melville.

 

In recognition of the bicentennial of Waverley, the first of these wildly popular novels, a series of lectures and a celebration of literature, music, and dance will take place in Iowa City from October 1 to October 5Sunday’s literary and musical program features bagpipers Robert Gray and Ed Raber, Scottish fiddler Jeremy Kittel, soprano Jennifer Macfarlane Haworth, tenor Kevin Hanick, guitarist Jack Stapleton, and the Iowa City Crescendo Children’s Choir.  Scottish dancers hail from Iowa and Kansas.  Alan Riach, Professor of Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow and Ida Beam Visiting Professor at the University of Iowa, will narrate the story of “Sir Walter Scott’s Legacy in Iowa,” held in conjunction with the UNESCO Iowa City Book Festival.

 

An author, teacher, and poet, Alan Riach has been an active participant in debates for Scottish independence, both on BBC Radio and in numerous publications, and his recent book Arts of Independence argues why Scottish culture should be at the heart of the independence debate. He will also be giving lectures for the public (see below).

 

Please consider attending any or all of the events, particularly the 3:30 lecture on Thursday afternoon and the Sunday performance at the Englert Theatre!

Wednesday, October 1

Lecture for undergraduates (and open to the public):  “Why Scottish Literature Matters”

3:30-4:45, 304 English-Philosophy Building

 

Thursday, October 2

Lunchtime program with the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council: “Reflections on Scottish Literature, Nationalism, and the Recent Referendum and Elections” 12:00-1:15, Congregational Church, Jefferson and Clinton St.

For more details see: http://icfrc.org/about/.

 

Thursday, October 2

Public lecture:  “Scottish Poetry and Paintings: Politics and the Arts of Resistance”

3:30-4:45, 304 English-Philosophy Building

 

Friday, October 3

Brown-bag discussion with graduate students in the Department of English: “How Poems Work: A Reading of a Selection of Poems and Reflections on Their Purpose and Power”

1:00-2:30, 304 English-Philosophy Building

Sunday, October 5

Literary and musical performance free and open to the public:  “Celebrating Sir Walter Scott’s Legacy in Iowa”

3:00-4:30, The Englert Theatre, 221 E Washington St, Iowa City (see http://www.iowacitybookfestival.org/200th-anniversary-of-sir-walter-scotts-waverley-novels/

 

And many thanks to the generous sponsors for these events:  The University of Iowa Department of English, Ida Cordelia Beam Visiting Professorship, International Programs, and Scottish Highlanders Alumni and Friends; the Hawkeye Area Grand Gaelic Isle Society (H.A.G.G.I.S.); and the Preucil School of Music.

Celticfest THIS SUNDAY at Squaw Creek Park

It’s almost time! It’s here! CELTICFEST IS IN TWO DAYS!

We’ll all be there, and we know you will be as well. Know who else will be there? These guys!

 

Time

Main Stage

Children’s Stage

10:00 AM

Blackhawk Pipes & Drums

11:00 AM

Lilywren

11:30 AM

Champagne Irish Dance

Orkes & Trolles

12:00 PM

Grand March

12:30 PM

Kilt Pleating Demo

1:00 PM

Knobbly Knees Contest

Pass Four Productions

1:30 PM

Wylde Nept + Ashley H.

2:30 PM

Stapleton Highland Dance

3:00 PM

Orkes & Trolles

Pass Four Productions

3:30 PM

Blackhawk Pipes & Drums

4:00 PM

Kilt Pleating Demo

Storytelling

4:30 PM

Orkes & Trolles

5:00 PM

Wylde Nept

 Join us at Squaw Creek Park!

Membership dues

We still have a number of people who have not paid their dues for this year yet.

Monthly ceilidh reminder

Don’t forget!  This Saturday is our monthly ceilidh at 6pm at Dublin City Pub.  This month special event lecture by Anne Stapleton on Walter Scott’s connections to Waverly, Iowa.  Plus, all the usual fun!

Second Call to Volunteer!

I have received lots of offers to help with set up, and for pouring beer, but I still have need of 2-hour shifts filled for parking, ticket booth, info booth, childrens area, garbage patrol, Highland Games liason, as well as volunteers to help with clean up and more food for the athletes (particularly fruit and cookies).  Remember, volunteering gets you in to the festival for FREE!

Calling All Volunteers!

CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS!!!

Volunteers are essential for a successful CelticFest! In addition to the adoration and appreciation of your fellow HAGGIS members, all volunteers receive free entrance to the CelticFest AND a really awesome button!

We have several needs, and I hope that you grab a friend or relative and sign up to help!

Here are the choices:

1) Saturday June 28th, we will need help setting up at the park from 12pm-5pm

Signed up so far: Nate and Susan, Matt and Paula

2) Early birds Sunday June 29th, 8am-10am, we will need help with finishing touches, possibly errand running, greeting and helping vendors and entertainers and seeing to their needs

Signed up so far: Nate and Susan, Matt and Paula, Erin S.

3) Clean up/take down June 29th, 6pm till finished

Signed up so far: Nate and Susan

4) Snacks for athletes, we are providing snacks to athletes this year and need folks to prepare and bring light sandwiches, fruit, water, things like granola bars and cookies, too.

Signed up so far:

5) Parking and transportation June 29th, we have a small parking lot at Squaw Creek and an overflow parking lot at the adjacent shelter reserved. We need folks with a vehicle able to transport and assist guests from the overflow lot to the ticket booth. We will provide signs for your vehicle and you will be needed to help folks understand where to park and to drive them back and forth to their parking space. (Especially any elderly/handicapped guests).

Signed up so far:
10AM-12PM, Roger and MaryAnn C
12pm-2pm
2pm-4pm
4pm-6pm

6) Beer servers, Back Pocket Brewery will be providing alcohol, but regulations do not allow them to serve. We will need persons (of 21 or older) to serve beer.

Signed up so far:
10am-12pm
12pm-2pm
2pm-4pm
4pm-6pm

(I have heard from Jim B, Tammy K, and Tracie W +Sienna willing to help with this, but no assigned time yet)

7) Ticket booth, persons responsible for greeting patrons and selling them their entrance ticket

Signed up so far:
10am-12pm
12pm-2pm
2pm-4pm
4pm-6pm

8) Info booth and T-shirt sales, persons responsible for assisting with any guest needs and selling festival t-shirts

Signed up so far:
10am-12pm
12pm-2pm
2pm-4pm
4pm-6pm

9) Children’s area, persons responsible for assisting with planned childrens activities

Signed up so far:
10am-12pm, Heidi H
12pm-2pm, Erin S
2pm-4pm
4pm-6pm

10) Garbage patrol, persons responsible for wandering grounds and maintaining cleanliness

Signed up so far:
10am-12pm, Paula M
12pm-2pm, Paula M
2pm-4pm
4pm-6pm

11) Highland Games liason, persons responsible for collecting waivers from athletes, making sure athletes have snacks available, and acting as a runner between the M.C. (Scott H) and the games to assist with making announcements

Signed up so far:
10am-12pm
12pm-2pm
2pm-4pm
4pm-6pm

Thank you all in advance!!!
Please respond with what you are able to help with!
Susan

Join us for Spring Picnic!

Just a reminder…there is no council meeting this week…but there is a spring picnic!  Come and join us for socializing, BYOB and meat to grill, something to share, you may also want to bring your own camp chair.  Saturday at Squaw Creek Park (Meadowlark shelter), at 2pm.  There will be lots of discussion about CelticFest, since we will be able to visit the festival site.  See you soon!