Kentucky Scottish Weekend

The Kentucky Scottish Weekend was a regional highland game held annually at General Butler State Resort Park in Carrollton, Kentucky. The weekend's mission was to celebrate the customs and traditions of Scotland.[1] It was held each year on the second full weekend in May. First held in 1983, the weekend celebrated its thirtieth anniversary in 2012, its final year. It was the longest running highland game currently being held in Kentucky at the time it ended. It was held in Carrollton due to that location being nearly halfway between Louisville and Cincinnati.[2] A Kentucky non-profit corporation—Kentucky Scottish Weekend, Inc.—held the event. The weekend was sometimes referred to as "KSW" for short.

A vendor demonstrating roses fashioned from leather at the 2007 Kentucky Scottish Weekend (photo taken 5/12/07)

The weekend was one of three regional highland games in Kentucky. The others are the Glasgow Highland Games in Glasgow and the West Kentucky Highland Festival in Murray, founded in 1986 and 1998, respectively.[3]

A variety of vendors usually attended the event. Items sold included Scottish and American food items, Celtic collectibles, kilts, Scottish music, Clan memorabilia, and Scottish heathers.

Events
Jesse Andrews, President of the Kentucky Scottish Weekend, leading the Parade of Tartans at the 2007 weekend (photo taken 5/12/07)
  • Athletic competitions, including:
    • Caber tossing
    • Hammer throw - 22 lb (10.0 kg).
    • Sheaf toss
    • Stone throw
    • Weight throw - 28 and 56 lb (25 kg).
    • Weight toss - 56 lb (25 kg).
  • Bagpipe and drumming competitions (the event was recognized by the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association)
  • Bonniest knees contest (where men competed for the "best" set of knees; judged by females and through touch alone)
  • Border Collie demonstrations
  • British car show
  • Ceilidh on Saturday night
  • Clan booths
  • Kirking of the Tartan (non-denominational church service) on Sunday morning
  • Opening ceremony with massed bands
  • Parade of Tartans
  • Pipe band concerts
  • Scottish folk music concerts
  • Scottish highland dancing competitions and demonstrations
  • Wellie toss contest (where women competed to see who can throw a boot the farthest)

Entertainers

Alex Beaton had been the featured performer and emcee at the Kentucky Scottish Weekend since 1989. In later years, other performers included Seven Nations, the Glengarry Bhoys, and Wicked Tinkers.

Dissolution

KSW was dissolved and the remaining funds disbursed to The Scottish Society of Louisville.

References
  1. "Kentucky Scottish Weekend". Kentucky Scottish Weekend, Inc. Archived from the original on 2007-07-04. Retrieved 2007-07-04.
  2. "Clans to celebrate Scot traditions, Kentucky Scottish Weekend teaches history with festival". Roundabout Madison Indiana. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-10.
  3. "The U.S. SCOTS Directory of Scottish Highland Games and Celtic Festivals: Events in Kentucky". U.S. SCOTS. Archived from the original on 2007-07-02. Retrieved 2007-07-04.
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