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History of the Tacoma Highland Games.
Photo Credit: Bob Harbison (Bob Harbison Photography)
The Tacoma Highland Games were held for the first time in 1970. The founders of the games consisted of Dick Roberts, Bill Micenko, Tina Gray, Jack Montgomery and the Grand Old Man of the Tacoma Scottish community, Johnny Montgomery.
Jack Montgomery was the games first president. Bill organized the piping competition while George Mitchum ran the field events. Tina handled the dancing competition and Johnny Montgomery served as the games first piping judge. Dick Roberts, served as liaison between the Scottish community and the Black Powder Shooters. It was through Dick’s efforts that arrangements were made to hold the games at TR&R.
As the games grew in popularity and the number of competitors increased, the operation of the games was turned over to the Clan Gordon Pipe Band, who in turn managed the games for a few years.
In 1975, the games were incorporated as a non-profit organization and the Tacoma Highland Games Association was formed.
Some of the early officers and Board members were Terry and Margaret Nichelson, Joyce Denton, Paul and Tina Gray, Dianne Patten, Rosemary Wallace and John Brown, Sr.
It was during the mid-seventies the games really came into their own. During this period, the first band competition was held and the individual drumming competition started. In fact, the Tacoma Games were the first games in the Northwest to have a tenor drum competition.
In 2019 the Tacoma Games turned 50! The 50th anniversary of the games was a great and memorable day at Frontier Park. It was after this year of the games that the Tacoma Highland Association board of trustees had a changing of the guards.
In 2020 freshly voted in members of the community formed and revitalized the Tacoma Highland Games Association Board to continue hosting the Games.
Norma Gilfeather Smith took over the responsibilities of Board President. Other members of that new Board included: Laurie Cour, Agnes Gilfeather, Stephanie Gilfeather, Gabriel Lamb, Red McWilliams, Lyn Nakashima, Margaret Nelson, Brian Nelson, Danielle Orozco, Peter Rolstad, David Smith, and Dan Sowers.
Unfortunately, the 2020 and 2021 Tacoma Games were cancelled due to the Covid 19. Virtual events were held in both 2020 and 2021 to help bring the community together and keep the spirit of the Games alive during the pandemic.
You can watch the 2020/2021 Virtual Events at the links below:
In 2022 the Tacoma Highland Games Association returned to Frontier Park in Graham, WA to host the 51st annual Tacoma Highland Games. It was a very special and memorable return to the in person event following the Covid 19 pandemic.
In 2023 the 52nd Annual Tacoma Highland Games were hosted again at Frontier Park in Graham, WA and were very successful. The current Tacoma Highland Games Association Board is currently preparing for the Games in 2024, slated to take place on Saturday June 22, 2024.