The Celtic Highland Games of the Quad-Cities come into their fourth edition on Saturday at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds with a record of steady growth, and plenty of ideas to ensure that continues. The inaugural Games drew 1,000 people, and the total has risen consistently, to 2,500 in 2000 and 4,000 in 2001. The number of competitors has also grown steadily, while organizers have made efforts to add new events, Celtic tribes, and attractions each year. Planners have also worked to ensure the event stays fresh by bringing in different performers and rotating leadership roles.

The festival will feature seven Celtic cultures on Saturday: Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, Brittany (France), and Galicia (Spain).

Planners have expanded the animal display this year to include Highland cows, a Clydesdale, cheviot sheep, and more greyhounds; built up to the family-crafts area; and added workshops such as one teaching the Gaelic language.

Lisa Lockheart, in her third year as event co-chair, will step down from that position next year, a move that illustrates how the celebration plans to keep new ideas flowing. "We don't want the event to be associated with any single person," she said. And the Games also don't want to be defined by the competitions; this year's additions have primarily been geared toward families with children.

Sure, certain elements will remain constant: the Highland Games that test people's strength with activities such as the glorified-tree-trunk-throwing caber toss, the piping and drumming competitions, and the Highland-dance competition.

Even those events continue to grow. As of Tuesday, 30 people had already registered for the games of strength, which are based on traditional contests used to choose and train warriors. Last year at this time, only 10 had registered, and 33 ended up competing. (Walk-up registrations are welcome.)

And while eight pipe bands entered last year's festivities, 10 have signed up in 2002. The Celtic Highland Games' draw is also extending farther; dancers from as far away as Canada, Maryland, and New Mexico will participate in this year's contest.

In terms of attendance, too, the event is more than a local draw. People come from a four- to five-state area, Lockheart said, and based on surveys, one-third of the people at the Celtic Highland Games come from outside a 60-mile radius.

On Saturday, gates open at 8 a.m., with an opening ceremony at 9 a.m. and competitions starting at 8:30, 9, and 9:30 a.m. Band and dance acts start at 10 a.m. on two stages. Performers include Pub Domain Band, Doon the Brae, Alex Sutherland & His Cronies, and various dance troupes.

Workshops also begin at 10 a.m., with Gaelic instruction (10 a.m. and 3 p.m.) and Ceilidh dance (11 a.m. and 4 p.m.) each being offered twice, in addition to sessions on Highland attire, wrapping a kilt, and the tin whistle. One highlight will be the Gaelic clinic, Lockheart said. "Gaelic is a threatened language in Ireland and Scotland," she said. Only 50,000 people in Scotland still speak the language.

The Celtic Highland Games will also include a stage of "quiet" entertainment, and family activities - including make-it-and-take-it crafts and games run by the Society for Creative Anachronism - will be at various sites on the grounds.

The Celtic Highland Games are also working to move beyond a once-a-year presence. The organization co-sponsored a May concert by Dougie MacLean, and Lockheart said future events might include things such as classes or bringing the Celtic culture into schools. "That's where our charitable efforts are heading," she said.

Gates for the Celtic Highland Games of the Quad-Cities open at 8 a.m., and activities run through the closing ceremony at 5 p.m. A Ceilidh (Irish social dance) runs from 6 to 11 p.m. All events are at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds at 2815 West Locust Street in Davenport. Gate admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, and free for children younger than five. For a complete schedule or more information about the Celtic Highland Games of the Quad-Cities, visit (http://www.celtichighlandgames.org) or call (309)764-9886.

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