CELTIC FESTIVAL TAKES OVER SNOWMASS VILLAGE AUGUST 25

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 21, 2007

Contact: Allison Johnson

(970) 309-5485 or

CELTIC FESTIVAL TAKES OVER SNOWMASS VILLAGE AUGUST 25

Celebration adds scotch tastings & family fun to traditional highland competitions

Snowmass Village, Colo. --  Locals and visitors are invited to Snowmass Village this Saturday, August 25, 2007, to check out and participate in traditional Scottish highlands games such as The Clachneart, the Sheaf Toss, and the Caber. In addition to five competitions and live Celtic music, this year offers a new Dewars Scotch tasting tent and a children's competition. This celebration of Scottish culture is free and open to the public.

"The Celtic Games in Snowmass Village are more than a spectator sport," says Marketing Director for Snowmass Village Susan Hamley. "These competitions are fascinating to watch, but we actively encourage families, organizations and local businesses to come out and try it themselves as well. With the competitions, music, and family fun, it's a fine way to spend a summer afternoon in Snowmass."

Celebrating its third year, the Snowmass Celtic Games officially kick off at 10 a.m. with an opening ceremony. All athletic competitions will be held on Fanny Hill near the Kids Camp area. Vendors, clans and music will be located on Fanny Hill, while the Dewars scotch tasting tent will be on the Snowmass Village Mall.

History of the Celtic Games:

The Celtic Games have defined the word "tough," since 1057 A.D. when Scottish men began testing their strength against each other at highlands gatherings. Originally, the Scotts incorporated into their competitions items available locally, such as a pitchfork, a tree, and stones. Today's games continue these traditions and require unique strength, skill, and endurance, as the athlete typically competes in up to 7 events in one day. In Colorado, highlands games celebrating Scottish culture have been held regionally since 1962, and the Rocky Mountain Scottish Athletes Association has supported these competitions as the officiating body for 25 years.

Celtic Competitions at Snowmass Village:

The Clachneart or "Stone." Similar to the modern day shotput, competitors must hurl a 16-28 pound stone with one hand. They're given a 7.5 foot run up to a toe board that they're not allowed to touch or cross.

The Weight Throw for Distance. Athletes use a 56# steelyard metal weight with a chain or handle to throw for distance with a 9 foot run-up to a toe board allowed. The most popular style is to spin like a discuss thrower, and the weights are derived from the unit of weight measure in Scotland, where one stone equals 14 pounds.

The Weight over the Bar. This competition involves tossing with only one hand a 56# weight with attached handle over a horizontal bar that is increasingly raised until all but one competitor fails to throw over the top.

The Sheaf Toss. Using a pitchfork, the athletes hurl a 20# burlap bag stuffed with straw over a horizontal bar raised between two standards, which is raised in 1-2 foot increments.

The Caber. The centerpiece of the modern Highland Games, the caber requires strength, balance, and timing. Athletes hoists the caber, a tapered log approximately 16-20 feet long and weighing 60-140#, into cradled hands and attempt to run briefly and heave the caber up and over to ground the heavy end and let the lighter end fall forward.

Divisions: Each competition offers Men's Open, Men's Amateur, Men's under 190 lbs., Men's Masters (40 yrs. & over) and Women's divisions, while a special children's division includes the Stone Put, The Weight for Distance, the Caber Toss, and the Sheaf Toss. Test your mettle against friends, co-workers, family members and rival businesses-local competitive spirit is encouraged!

Additional Activities:

The Dewars Tent on the Snowmass Village Mall offers Dewars drinks for $4 and Dewars scotch flights of 4 kinds of scotch for $10. The Celtic band Old School plays free concerts near the competitions on Fanny Hill starting at 2:45 pm. The performance includes traditional Celtic dance, music, and the unique Uilleann pipes, which band member Gary Burman says trying to play is like "rubbing your belly, patting your head, chewing bubble gum and dribbling a basketball at the same time." Clans and Scottish vendors will be on-site at the games as well.

Schedule of Events:

9:30am:            Registration for all athletes on Fanny Hill

10:00am:           Opening Ceremony. Competitions Begin: The Clachneart or Stone Put, the 56# Weight Throw for Distance, The Caber Toss, The 20# Sheaf Toss, the 56# Weight Throw for height.

Noon:                Dewars scotch tasting tent opens (on the Snowmass Mall)

12:30pm:           Children's Competitions (on Fanny Hill)

1:00pm:            Official competition resumes (on Fanny Hill)

2:45 pm:           Free concert by Old School (on Fanny Hill)

3:30pm:            Awards Ceremony (on Fanny Hill)

3:45-4:45pm:     Free concert by Old School (on Fanny Hill)

5:00pm:            Scotch tasting tent close (on the Snowmass Mall)

For more information, please contact athletic organizer Greg Bradshaw at 303-475-7714 or greg@rmsa.org. For general Snowmass information, visit www.snowmassvillage.com.