Hosting a Tent
Calling All MacAlpin/e’s….. Yes, that means you! I’m looking at you and you and you! We need help spreading the MacAlpin/e name and merriment across the globe. How? Host a tent. Really, it’s that simple. Do you remember the time you attended the Highland Games, and you couldn’t find the MacAlpine tent? Do you remember how disappointed you were? The only remedy is you! Unfortunately, we can only attend so many games and reach so many miles. Think about hosting a tent and making someone smile because they found their family at the Highland Games. You don’t have to be an expert in the family history or Scottish lore. You just have to be willing to stand and greet and have folks register when they stop by. If they have a question, you can get their question and email address and submit for someone to answer. We will provide you with a startup kit and pay the festival fees for the first year. If you plan on hosting the following year, or at other games, hold on to the kit and use it again and again. However, if you try hosting and it just isn’t for you, we ask that you return the kit to us. Once you decide to host a tent, you will need to find out a few things from the event organizers. Details of what specific games provide are generally available on that games’ website, along with tent sponsor applications. Find out if they provide a tent, or do you need to take a pop-up tent? And, do they provide a table/chairs? What we provide in our startup kit: 1) MacAlpine banner 4) Copies of last two newsletters 2) MacAlpine poster 5) Sign in sheets and nametags 3) Informational trifolds 6) Boars Head Stamp 4) Copies of last two newsletters In addition to what the society provides, you will need some or all of the following:
■ PVC pipes or other poles to hold banner above tent
■ Assorted bungies to hold pvc pipes or poles to tent poles
■ Zip Ties / scissors to remove zip ties / duct tape
■ Tablecloth / Table Decorations (one can often find Scottish coffee table books at second-hand stores)
■ Netting to hold pictures along the side of tent (depending on your set-up)
■ Fasteners to hold pictures (binder clips work well)
■ It never hurts to have some hard candy or individually wrapped candies in a bowl For personal comfort, you may want to bring:
■ An ice chest with ice
■ Bottles of water - Plastic cups
■ A bottle of scotch (optional, where allowed)
■ Small plastic cups (shot size if serving scotch) Some tent hosts like to add a game for the children, so we created the MacAlpine Sheep Game. (email robinlmcalpine@yahoo.com if you want it). The game consists of lost sheep, which can be distributed to other clan tents, along with a scorecard to be signed by the tents where the lost sheep are located. Upon completion of the scorecard, the child can return to the MacAlpine tent for a treat (ex: crispy rice treats and small granola bars). If you add the game, don’t forget the treats.