We arrived before noon and were able to see the midday ceremony and welcome. All the bands marched in seperately, along with dancers, and clans. There was a welcome from the mayor of McPherson, then a performance by the massed bands, and a Highland Fling dance.
After this, Karen and I went to the food area and did sample some ethnic food. I had a cottage pie, which is basically a beef stew inside a flaky pastry shell. It was hearty and very good. Karen had a scone with strawberries and cream which was also good.
Next, we went to listen to Alex Beaton, a well known Scottish Folk Singer, who performed some of his songs under a tent. Just as his set was finishing, the heavens opened up and we got a thunderstorm with heavy downpours. Everyone scurried under cover for 20 - 30 minutes.
Then, Karen and I watched some of the athletic competition, including the women's caber toss. We also had the chance to see the sheep herding demonstration.
Finally, we watched some of the bands perform in competition in front of some judges. Below is a video Karen shot of one of the bands.
To see some photos of the festival, follow this link to our photo gallery:
