The Gathering 2009 facts for kids
The Gathering 2009 was a big two-day event that celebrated Scottish culture. It happened on July 25 and 26, 2009, as part of a larger event called Homecoming 2009. The Gathering took place in Holyrood Park in Scotland. About 47,000 people from all over the world came to enjoy it. More than 125 Scottish clans were there. It was called the biggest Highland Games in Scotland's history. A special meeting of clan leaders, called a clan convention, also happened. It was the largest meeting of chiefs ever recorded. Even though it seemed like a success at first, there were some money problems later on.
Fun at The Gathering
The Gathering took place in Holyrood Park on July 25 and 26. On the first evening, about 20,000 people gathered along the Royal Mile. They watched a parade of about 8,000 clan members and pipe bands. The parade marched from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to Edinburgh Castle Esplanade. The Duke of Rothesay officially opened the event. Over 47,000 visitors came from at least 40 different countries. There were 125 Scottish clans represented. Also, 85 clan chiefs were there.
Visitors enjoyed many traditional Scottish activities. These included Highland Games, bagpipe music, and dancing. There were also live music shows. People could try Scottish food and drinks. They also saw Scottish crafts and textiles. Most visitors came on the first day, enjoying the sunny weather. The second day had some rain, which made it a bit less cheerful for some. This event was reported to be the world's largest Highland Games and clan meeting.
Meeting of Clan Chiefs
A special meeting for clan leaders was held on July 24, 2009. It took place at the Scottish Parliament. More than 100 clan chiefs attended this meeting. About 300 other people were also there. This was the biggest meeting of clan chiefs ever recorded. One important topic they talked about was using social networking to connect with young people.
After The Gathering
At first, everyone thought The Gathering 2009 was a big success. Lord Sempill, one of the event's directors, said it was "tremendous" and "exceeded my expectations." He was happy to see so many local people there. However, the event later faced some financial challenges. Because of these challenges, the organizers had to make some agreements. For example, they gave up the rights to the event's ideas to a group called Destination Edinburgh Marketing Alliance. This helped to sort out some of the money issues.
Initially, people hoped for more events like The Gathering in the future. Some even thought about celebrating the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn in 2014. However, the Destination Edinburgh Marketing Alliance later decided to connect with the London Olympics in 2012 instead.
See also
- Highland games
- Homecoming Scotland 2009
- Scottish clan
- World Highland Games Championships
