By SEAN BROWN
More than 10,000 people crowded the Payson City Park Saturday to attend the 24th annual Scottish Festival. The festival, which originated in 1974, gives people a look at the traditions of Scotland.
The festival was decorated with more than 100 booths ranging from sword sales to traditional Scottish foods. There was also dancing, music, and games going on in various parts of the park.
Over 40 athletes competed in the strong man games, where the men show off their strength. The games originate from ancient Scottish tradition in farming or battle.
The games included the Caber Toss, which consists of throwing a 20 foot telephone pole and flipping it over with accuracy. There is also a game called the Braemer Stone where participants throw a 17-23 lb. stone like a shot put for distance.
Mike May, who won last years Scottish games in Salt Lake City and a participant in this year’s games, said that the Payson games are one of the biggest in the country and that the citizens of Payson really take pride in their festival.
Another competition at the festival is the dance competition, which consisted of dancers ages 4-18 and dances like the Sword Dance and The Highland Fling.
According to Anne Wiltbank, originally from Scotland and a teacher of Scottish dance here in Utah for the last 5 years, the Sword Dance was originally performed by men in 1200 AD and was done in bare feet. If the men drew blood while dancing over the swords it was considered bad luck for the battle.
Wiltbank said the dances were also often performed in celebration of a military victory.
The dance competition drew competitors from Oregon, California, Arizona, Colorado, and all over the state of Utah.
Also in attendance were The Irish Dancers, a non-profit organization led by Connie Roberts. Roberts said, “We’re kind of the odd man out, but we’re out here supporting our brethren.”
The Irish Dancers performed a variety of dances including The TipReel, The 6-Hand Reel, and The Light Jig. Their dances were very entertaining to watch and took on a River Dance style.
The festival was a huge success and very well attended. Those interested in Scottish tradition still have a chance to enjoy the cultural fun. Richfield will be holding a smaller Scottish festival on August 21 and 22.
