RADFORD – The Radford Highlanders Festival made a grand return to the Radford University campus on Saturday, with a big crowd turning out to enjoy live music, craft and merchandise vendors,food trucks, sheep-herding demonstrations, Highland cattle, children’s activities and a spirited day of Scottish Heavyweight games, also known as Highland Games.
The impressive kilted athletes competed in a variety of events, including shot put with a large stone, caber toss and more. The games drew a crowd all day,as the cloudy, drizzling skies of the morning gave way to warmth and sun.
Scythian and Crossbow alternated sets of music on the main stage,as many local groups entertained on the community stage. Scythian had the crowd dancing,clapping and jumping to their blend of Celtic-rock-gypsy-punk.
Scottish clans ringed the game area, each denoting their crests and clan accoutrements, while Scottish traditional food such as haggis was enjoyed. An enormous inflated Radford University Highlanders mascot invited the crowd to take photos with it and post them with #highlandersfestival or #showyourhighlandersspirit.
– Heather Bell
