It’s still a year away, but there has already been a wee look at the inaugural Penticton Scottish Festival.
Last weekend the society putting on the event, to be held in July 2014, gave a sneak preview of the fun ahead with music and entertainment. Society chair Brian Johnston said they wanted to re-establish the popular Scottish cultural festival previously known as the Penticton Highland Games and expand its appeal by including other forms of Celtic entertainment.
“The Penticton Scottish Festival will feature many of the traditional musical competitions found at a Highland Games, like piping and drumming, dancing and athletic events such as the caber toss; but the Penticton Scottish Festival will feature much more in the way of Celtic entertainment and activities for the whole family,” said Johnston.
The Penticton Highland Games disappeared from the city about eight years ago, Johnston hopes to revive it with a more family-friendly and interactive event for all ages.
“All of the people in the competition circuit want to come back to Penticton for a festival so everyone is on board for that part of the event. The only thing that would hold us up is the financial side of it. I don’t have gate money because there wasn’t a festival last year or funding from years before so I am starting from scratch,” said Johnston, who added the festival would be the first Saturday in July to fit in the competition circuit which travels around B.C., then to Alberta and Washington in the fall.
Already the Copper Mug holds a 50-50 draw every other Saturday with proceeds to go towards the festival, but Johnston is in need of more corporate sponsorship and financial contributions to ensure the festival can move forward. He said he expects to have an official announcement by the fall if it will go ahead, including the dates and venue.
Confirmed participants in the Penticton Scottish Festival include Blakey School of Irish Dance, Scottish Folk Songs by Gord McLaren, the Okanagan Caledonian Pipe Band, the Naramata Scottish Country Dancers, Emily McDonald School of Highland Dance and a sword fighting demonstration by the Society for Creative Anacronism. Johnston said already the Simon Fraser University Drum and Pipe Band, who are six-time world champions, have demonstrated an interest in performing in Penticton.
“They are amazing,” said Johnston, who estimates the festival will draw a few thousand people to the city. “I think when people hear the bag pipes and the hairs on the back of their neck stand up there is going to be a lot of interest.”
For more info on how to get involved contact PentictonScottishFestival@Shaw.ca.
