Scottish festival held for first time in Blaine

The Bellingham Scottish Gathering held its first festival in Blaine on June 1.

The event, held at Blaine Marine Park and on Semiahmoo Spit, attracted a crowd of people for a highland dance championship, highland strength games including stone throwing, drumming competitions, a massed band performance, traditional Celtic music from the Oregon-based band Adams, Martin and Linahon, food and merchandise vendors, informational booths on Scottish clans, boat rides on the Koinonia between the festival’s two locations, and more.

Heather Richendrfer, event founder and executive director, estimated that a few thousand people attended the festival, which had 500 game and dance participants.

Richendrfer started the festival in 2018 after a group stopped running its Scottish festival in Whatcom County. She would like to hold the festival again in Blaine because of its scenic backdrop and boat ride reminiscent of Scotland.

“I think I’ve really latched onto something that could be a tourism magnet,” she said.