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The most extraordinary expansion of any British custom must surely be the Highland
Games with the kilts, pipes, feather bonnets and all the stereotypical trappings of the
tourist trade's ' Bonnie Scotland '. Once confined to the Gaelic-speaking parts of the
Highlands and viewed elsewhere as an expression of the uncouth culture of a barbarian
race, the phenomena spread inexorably southwards then worldwide. It started its migration
early in the 19th century and first colonized the Lowlands and Borders, increasingly
overshadowing their quite distinct customs and traditions. Tourists expect to see pipes
and tartans the minute they cross the border and are rarely disappointed.
The great popularity of Highland Games really dates from Queen Victoria's patronage
which began in 1848, when the queen and her family for the first time attended the Braemar
Gathering;this became an annual tradition and an occasion the current royal family uphold
today.
In Scotland more than 70 sets of Highland games are held annually, generally between
June and September. Around the world there are some 5,000 Scottish societies where at
least some of the 25 million people of Scottish extraction maintain the traditions of
their forefathers.
Events in Scotland
Events in USA
Events in Canada
Events Worldwide
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