Joining the Harpers Ferry Highland Games as entertainment director in 2026 is Ted Koch, a longtime musician and co-founder of the Maryland-based Celtic rock band Poehemia. Koch, 54, grew up north of Baltimore. Raised on trad (traditional folk) music and progressive rock, he first laid his hands on an electric guitar in middle school, igniting a love affair that continues to this day. Citing Steve Rothery, Carlos Santana, The Pogues and Gogol Bordello as influences, Ted descri

Though Kevin Wright, 47, hails from Urbana, Md., he brought his own cheering section with him when contending in the Masters (40-plus) division at the 2025 Highland Games. In college Kevin competed in shot put and discus. These days he mans a desk as an executive director at the National Institutes of Health. He was drawn to the highland games as a way of returning to competitive throwing in an interesting, varied format. Kevin’s strategy and drive paid silver dividends in h

Crowd favorite Liam McCabe, 35, came away from the 2025 Highland Games with the gold medal in the lightweight (under 200 pounds) men’s category. Born in Virginia and raised in Maryland, Liam attended Renaissance and Celtic festivals in his boyhood. He played hockey and lacrosse in school, rising to all-state defenseman in the latter. Not until 2021, however, did he participate in his first highland games. A fast learner, Liam now competes in a half dozen games a year. His fav