Weekend Fun With The Scottish Festival and Ceilidh In Parchment

It's not quite "Braveheart", but the Kalamazoo Scottish Festival this weekend will put you in a Scottish state of mind.

The festival is at Kindleberger Park in Parchment, highlighted by the Highland Games (in Scottish, it's named after the Scottish Highlands or pronounced "Hee-lands") and it'll be followed by a Ceilidh (that's pronounced 'Kay-Lee') And since Braveheart came up, the 1980's movie, Local Hero which featured not only Animal House star Peter Reigert, but also a future Dr. Who, Peter Capaldi has a wonderful Ceilidh scene in that movie.

First things first, the Scottish Festival starts at 9am and goes til 4pm.

Organizers say,

"The Highland Games, brings athletes from all over the region to compete in traditional Scottish Events also known as Heavy Athletics that celebrate the history and culture of Scotland, particularly the Highlands. Men and Women participating in the Heavy Athletics are required to wear a Kilt while participating in the games, to continue the cultural history. The schedule includes events like the popular Caber Toss, Sheaf Toss, Braemer Stone and Hammer Throw. In addition to the Heavy Athletics, the Festival features a variety of Clan Tents featuring informational content on Scottish History and Scottish Ancestry." - Kalamazoo Scottish Festival

The Highland Games are paired with a variety Celtic music artists that play throughout the day, the Kalamazoo Scottish Country Dancers demonstrate traditional Scottish dances, and the Kalamazoo Pipe Band will be playing. There will also be family event at the park.

Afterwards is the Ceilidh (Kay-Lee) which is a essentially a Scottish party) with, of course, Scottish Food, Music and Dancing. This Ceilidh is up the hill on Riverview Dr. at The Fountains Banquet Center and that goes from 5-8pm.

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