Gareth Mitchelson Championships are held at the Cowal Gathering in Dunoon on the last Saturday in August each year. Whilst still at school Mitchelson was a member of the world-renowned British Caledonian Airways pipes and dance corps, performing at Scottish events all over the world. In 1985 Gareth and Deryck Mitchelson commissioned new work and music for inclusion in Glasgow's Mayfest dance festival and formalised this with the formation of the CelticSpirit Dance Company as a limited liability company. Other notable performances have included participation in many folk festivals and fiddlers' rallys, in the Capitol Theatre and His Majesty's Theatre in Aberdeen,
Scottish highland dance and then further training and testing to become a dancer examiner then competition judge or adjudicator. Many if not most Highland gatherings worldwide recognise the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing (SOBHD), formed in 1950, as the world governing body of Highland dancing. The SOBHD standardised dance steps for competition purposes, established rules for competitions and attire, and certifies competitions and instructors. The SOBHD World Highland Dance Championship has been held annually at the Cowal Highland Gathering since 1934. Today this SOBHD World Championship is sanctioned by the SOBHD at three levels: Juvenile, Junior and Adult. However due to SOBHD