A Scottish festival centered around highland dance competitions will take over Blaine Marine Park on June 6.
The Bellingham Scottish Gathering, which moved to Blaine for its seaside atmosphere reminiscent of Scotland, is back for its third year.
The festival, which runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., will have highland dance competitions throughout the day, with competitors of all ages and skill levels performing in front of a certified judge. Dancers are expected to travel from across B.C., Washington and Idaho for the event.
Beyond dancing, the festival will feature boat rides around Drayton Harbor, a vendors fair, live Celtic music, youth activities, a beer garden and even a Clydesdale horse. New this year there will be a fabric and fibers contest showcasing textiles of Scottish origin.
“It will bring a different aspect to the festival,” festival executive director Heather Richendrfer said of the textile contest.
Also new are athletic events for children near Blaine Marine Park playground, including a pool-noodle cable toss, golf and hopscotch.
The vendors fair will have homemade goods and crafts, a Scottish clan informational booth and fair food. McKay’s Taphouse has planned a beer garden next to the amphitheater, where the Moving Hats and the Ladies of Limerick will perform Celtic music throughout the day.
The Koinonia, a 48-passenger ferry from Anacortes, will offer free rides to festival-goers around Drayton Harbor every 30 minutes from Blaine Harbor.
Parking for people with limited mobility will be available across from the entrance gates. The Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 bus will shuttle people from downtown to the park. More information on the bus route is expected to be available online before the festival.
Admission is $25, with $5 off for students, seniors and military members. Children under five are free, and a group of four tickets is discounted to $62. Tickets may be purchased online at bit.ly/4fFqlRq or at the gate.
For more information, visit scottishdancesociety.org/scottish-gathering.
