A place to celebrate everything Scottish

28th annual Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival arrives to Look Memorial Park

By K eith O ’C onnor Special to The Republican

Look Memorial Park will be transformed from a popular picnic spot on Saturday to a special destination for visitors looking to celebrate everything Scottish as part of the 28th annual Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival.

The popular fest - including live entertainment, heavy athletics, Celtic dance, historical demonstrations, dancers, food, clans and plenty more to do and see - begins at 9 a.m.

“Last year’s festival attracted our biggest crowd ever fueled by the facts that the weather was perfect and we returned after a two-year absence due to COVID,” said Peter Langmore, event chair.

“Visitors won’t want to miss our spectacular and colorful opening ceremonies with pipe bands piping and drumming while marching onto the field, along with tons of clans in traditional dress also parading and yelling their clan’s war calls. In the past, we have held our opening ceremonies at 11:30 a.m. and don’t want anyone to miss them this year since they have been moved earlier to 11 a.m., he added.

A highlight for many festivalgoers is the historic Highland Games, which date back some 900 years to Scottish King Malcom Canmore, who devised the first Scottish Games. The games, including both men and women, require a combination of strength and athleticism to participate in stone throwing, weight tossing, hammer-throwing, and caber toss.

Other competitions throughout the day include pipe bands, drum majors, solo pipers and drummer and Highland dancers who will travel from near and far to compete.

The sounds of Celtic-inspired music can be heard throughout the park with a full day of bands and individual performers including at the Main Stage the tribal drums of Albannach and for the 17th time Enter the Haggis. Other main stage attractions include the Screaming Orphans and Sarah the Fiddler. The Harper’s Tent will feature performances by the Pioneer Valley Harpers Guild and will also be the site of a Bonnie Knees Contest at 4 p.m. Also, Charlie Zahm will keep the music going by performing throughout the day at the vendor area.

The festival’s Celtic Pub offers a respite from all of the action with a cooling libation from Easthampton’s New City Brewery.

Whisky is Scotland’s national drink with five recognized Scottish whisky regions. In honor of that tradition, last year’s Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival featured their first-ever Scotch Whisky Tasting.

The Whisky Tasting, sponsored by ImPex Beverages and in partnership with Four Seasons Liquors in Hadley, will be hosted by Jay Cole who created his alter ego named “The Whisky Pirate.”

“Jay is an incredibly knowledgeable presenter with a striking presence thanks to a magnificent pirate’s beard that is braided down to his waist. He will take participants on a tour of the different whisky regions in Scotland and discuss their flavor differences and distilling techniques. Of course, this is a tasting and there will be flights to try,” Langmore said. Tasting sessions are at 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. Advance tickets are $30 and available online at glasgowlands.org or day-of at the Celtic Pub. Tasting tickets do not include festival entry which must be purchased separately.

In addition to Scottish drinks, there will be plenty tastes of Scotland from food vendors offering meat pies and bridies, homemade shortbread, fish and chips, and more. For those less adventurous, there will be the usual fair food such as hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries, fried dough, any other treats. Also, over 20 merchant vendors will offer a variety of Scottish and other items for sale from kilts to jewelry and from bagpipes to clothing.

“There will even be plenty to do for ‘wee lads and lassies’ at our festival,” Langmore said.

The Water Spray Park will be open and the train will be