Sean C. Morgan
The Sweet Home Highland Games and Clan Gathering drew a little less than half the attendance it had last year, but the event will be close to breaking even.
“It went good,” Festival Chairman Bob Teter said. “The only disappointed we had was the attendance.”
For the most part, the games “went like clockwork,” Teter said.
About 700 persons attended the two-day event held at the Sweet Home Events Center on Long Street.
“We had more going on,” Teter said. “People were thrilled about that.”
Benjamin Venable of Portland is used to attending larger festivals.
“It’s (small festivals) different and almost better really,” Venable said. “While there’s a lot more stuff, it’s neat to be in the smaller community feel.”
For Teter it was a chance to explore his roots further, he said. “One of the things I love about the festivals, you always come away learning something new.”
Teter heard a number of comments that Sweet Home was the best festival they had attended. The biggest complaint people had on a survey was the low attendance. They suggested more advertising.
At the same time, a number of people wanted to get involved and are joining the event committee. A couple of clans are talking about fund-raising efforts, and one woman was talking about applying for grants to help fund the festival.
Teter counted a lack of advertising as a major factor in low attendance. The event’s advertising budget was cut in half this year.
“The fire (in Central Oregon) really hit us because we get a lot of people from Bend,” Teter said. A couple of clans and a vendor were unable to make it to the festival because of the fire.
It also competed with a number of other activities, including the state fair, a Corvallis festival and more, Teter said. The festival is held on about the only weekend when there isn’t another festival in Oregon or Washington.
The Oregon Scottish Society, in its first year associating with the festival, will meet next month to consider its role in the festival and whether it will continue next year.
As it stands, organizers may break even, Teter said. With last year’s attendance levels, the festival would have turned a profit this year.
In any case, the festival will go on, Teter said. Six persons have already committed to serving on the festival committee for next year.
Talk is already underway about adding events and activities next year, Teter said. Among them are sheep dog trials and highland wrestling competition. The wrestling was added as an exhibition this year.