2016 Sarasota Highland Games

SBCC Member Robert Howard

The 22nd Annual Sarasota Highland Games and Celtic Festival was held on Jan 30 at the Sarasota County Fairgrounds. The day began coolly, but the temperature mirrored the steadily ascending Florida sun and quickly reached the mid-70’s. We had a good turnout with 15 diverse examples of British motor cars spanning 80 years of manufacturing, from Bob Faria’s 1934 Austin 7 to Robert Watts’ 2014 Jaguar F-Type.

A crowd estimated to be 10,000 enjoyed pipe bands, dance competitions, sheep dog demonstrations, highland athletics (the caber, sheaf and Scottish hammer tosses, the haggis kick and the pasties twirl), music, food and drink.

Our display location situated between the clan tents and the band assembly area afforded dual exposure to large numbers of festival attendees and to the daylong cacophony of bagpipe tuning. One club member liked the latter to the sound of a cat caught in the fan belt, only of greater duration.

The Games organizing committee recognized the following with Highland Games awards: Mike Browne (1996 Rover MINI Cabriolet) – Blue Rosette, Ron McLeod (1970 Marcos GT) – Red Ribbon and Bob Faria (1934 Austin 7 Type 65) – White Ribbon.

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