The time has come and passed for the Central Florida Highland Games, and this year truly showed the Northern Orlando area what it meant to have Scottish spirit! Held on the days of January 18th-19th, the festival honored the traditions of the greater United Kingdom (with a special emphasis on Scotland), with history, period-accurate clothing, weaponry, music, food, and drink, all with the most spectacular showing of proud Floridians, enlightening passer-bys on the histories of their ties to the mediaeval world.

The Games kept what is conventional at the annual event, the chiefest of which being the Games themselves! The caber toss, the stone lifting, and the hay throwing all made their triumphant return this year. Athletes with the adept physicality of Atlas holding the world competed against one another in a brilliant show of strength and muscle; all as a crowd of many cheered them on with clapping, and the clanking of flaggons of malt, distilled beverages. The Games themselves likely have not changed much in their almost 1000 year existence, where the display of strength with tools of peasantry served a defensive purpose against those pesky English, who banned the Scots from bearing arms against them (hence, logs).

But since no such ban upon armaments presently exists here in America, where those English got rightly sacked, one can view the returning display of sword sparring at these Games. Armored knights partaking in the centuries old Buhurt traditions make their gallant return, still giving one another heavy wallops to and fro. Festival goers too can view historic weapon replicas for sale at the vendors tents, and on display at the many clan tents. Hundreds of lads and lasses, young and old, represent the clan attached to their surname at individual tents. From Buchanan, to MacDuff, to Thompson, to Elliott, all were there!

Taking up company with these clans was one of the new editions to this year’s festival, that being the Nordic Celts Cultural Society. One member of the group was Morgan Womack, who was one of the representatives who would speak to passers-by about what the group had and wished to accomplish.

“It’s our first year actually,” Womack said. “We formed our group about five months ago, and this is the first Highland Games since its formation.” 

Since many people go to the games to bask in the culture of the mediaeval times (despite the name of the event, the festival honors more than just Scottish culture, including Nordsmen, English, and other Western/Northern European nations), the group is a good way for a more personal honoring of one’s heritage. 

Womack enlightened the goal to bring awareness to the lands of the Celts and the Nordic. “We wanted a place to be able to celebrate all aspects of our cultures, and there’s not a lot of groups that cover both the Nordic and the Celtic sides, even though they mingled a lot throughout history.”

The members within the tents, however, don’t have to be genealogically related to either group to join the group; it is open to all! 

“If you just find Vikings interesting, and you’re not remotely related to them, you can join,” Womack said. “Don’t hesitate to go out to these fairs and games. People are so friendly and happy to talk about their groups, so if you want to join, do it!”  

The Nordic-Celts were not the only ones who were proud of their history. Returning to the Games for the second year was the historic militia encampment, but this time they were bigger in their efforts!

“One of the things we are doing is a lot more presentation for the food,” Heidi Paul said. 

Paul was one of the re-enactors present at this event, as one of the women who would accompany men to the encampments before battle.

“We did a demonstration of cutting out different types of root vegetables, because in that time, if you were in a military encampment, followers like myself would go around and look for roots and whatever resources were around in that region at the time,” Paul said.

The group depicts what a typical English army camp would look like during the English Civil War, so food would have likely not have been plentiful out in open fields and wet plains. 

“The historic roots involve the military rations they would get like dried peas and hard tack… which they would have to take with them everywhere they went,” Paul further explained.

From plants and roots, to deer, the old armies had to take their food everywhere, for it could not be wasted. The group is also one that anyone can join if they so find interest, for each event brings more to the group in both content and enthusiasm.

“If you are interested, come to any event,” Paul said. We are also represented in the Seminole County Historical Museum.” 

The owner of the museum runs events every few weekends, which are great outings for expressing interest in this group. 

“People who are interested can come over, put on some clothes, or grab a sword, or learn to cook…we are always recruiting for historical reenactments!”

But what of the newer vendors? What excellent things are being sold for the first time here at the Highland Games? Well, one of the new editions this year was the Celtic Jackalope, a store dedicated to apparel with clan symbology and heritage attached to them. Shirts sold at the tent bear the tartans of many-a Scottish clan (from Angus to Macleod), so anyone looking to sport their heritage upon their bod, or honor Scottish heritage through apparel, can indeed!

Michael MacFarland was one of the individuals in charge of managing the tent, and interacting with the lot passing by, and they appreciate what the tent does there! 

People came by all throughout the day to speak with MacFarland and the others at the tent on the nature of Scottish culture, and nomenclature. 

“I’ve really enjoyed the large crowd of people who are all hungry for knowledge about their heritage,” MacFarland said.

The Celtic Jackalope has a team that is very proud of what they do, and the heritage they can help preserve. 

“We help people find their heritage, and keep our heritage alive, that’s what these festivals are about, and that’s what we’re dedicated to,” MacFarland said.

This year’s Highland Games festival was able to bring even more to the plate of each festival goer. With more shops, more visitors, new competitors in the games, and add-ons to the existing establishments and vendors that have been attending for years past, there was something in store for even the most seasoned veteran visitors. The mediaeval atmosphere permeated most distinctly this year, and everyone who attended felt like they had stepped back into a more wondrous time. That is for sure to be the case for next year’s Games too. With a bigger crowd, more vendors, and more add-ons that will trump this year’s gaiety most substantially. So, the clock begins its annual ticking until the next Games shall commence!