The Grandfather Mountain Highland Games is underway in the North Carolina mountains.
Tens of thousands of people visit Avery County during the games each July.
The economic impact on the area as the region recovers from the devastation from Helene.
More than 10O of various clans set up on Friday at MacRae Meadows on Grandfather Mountain.
Competition, including the sheaf toss, started early in the morning and by 10 a.m., there was quite a crowd.
Last year, the Highland Games attracted 40,000 people to Avery County.
“This brings an enormous amount of money to the community of Linville and the outer cities to pay it forward, pay it back,” said Mark Munro, Clan Munro. “They really do need it now more than ever.”
0 of 8
Munro has been going to the mountainside for years.
“We’re all essentially family,” Munro said. “So, it’s a great family reunion to have 50,000 people come to Grandfather Mountain and share our culture, heritage and bond, it’s fabulous.”
The economic impact is felt miles from the mountainside as motels in the area fill up.
“The local motels in Banner Elk are completely booked,” said Paul Buchanan, the fire marshal for Avery County. “Even in Johnson City, Tennessee, and Boone, are already booked, as well.”
The games pumps $4.5 million into the local economy.
“Everyone is open for business,” said visitor Candice Caldwell. “Again, please come back. Go rafting. Go on vacation. Come spend your money with local artists.”
This is the 69th year they’ve held the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games at MacRae Meadows.
Gordon Warburton has been going to the games for 40 years to play bagpipes and is glad to see people coming back.
“I think gatherings like this (show) that we can recover and have some semblance of our lives beforehand,” said Warburton.
The Grandfather Mountain Highland Games continue through the weekend.
VIDEO: Tourists flock to Grandfather Mountain to escape Carolina heat wave
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
