Five Scottish things in Colorado
A wee bit of Scotch in Colorado
As Scotland was voting on independence from the United Kingdom on Thursday, The Gazette tracked down five Scottish things in Colorado:
– There are an estimated 182 residents of El Paso County who were born in Scotland, according to the 2008-2012 American Community Survey.
– The Scottish Country Dancers of Colorado meet weekly in various locations along the Front Range to perform Scottish country dancing, offer classes and hold events. They meet 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays at the International Dance Club, 2242 Busch Ave., in Old Colorado City. For information, visit www.scdcolorado.org.
– The Springs Reformed Church, a Colorado Springs congregation, traces its spiritual heritage to the Reformation in Scotland and the Scottish Covenanters of the 16th and 17th centuries. The church is at 229 S. Weber St.
– The Pikes Peak Celtic Festival, traditionally held in June at Memorial Park in Colorado Springs, celebrates all things Celtic. That includes bagpipes performers, Celtic rock groups, Highland dancing and Scottish and Irish cuisine.
– The Colorado Scottish Festival celebrated its 51st year in August at Highland Heritage Regional Park in Douglas County. The Highland Games, the centerpiece of the festival, includes competitions in Highland dancing, piping and drumming, and traditional Scottish athletics. For information, visit www.scottishgames.org.
Andrea Sinclair, The Gazette
A Yes campaign washing line for the Scottish independence referendum stands backdropped by Edinburgh Castle, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014. Scots held the fate of the United Kingdom in their hands Thursday as they voted in a referendum on becoming an independent state, deciding whether to unravel a marriage with England that built an empire but has increasingly been felt by many Scots as stifling and one-sided. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)