Fergus Scottish Festival 2006

[Wompet]

Made my first trip up to Fergus for their Scottish Festival yesterday.
Nice little drive, with a few wrong turns ...
*

Anyway, got up to Fergus after a couple of hours, parked in the far back field, walked in the back entrance, and the first stand I see:



Left to right, Kilted Stuart, MacHummel, and me. The first two are CCKs(Pete's wearing a 8-yard Holyrood), mine's a Matt Newsome box pleat. And yes, I was wearing sandals (which some folks disapprove of), but if you look closely at the straps, you may see that the colors match the XMarks tartan.
In the background is MacHummel's Canadian Casual Kilt stand (obviously). In addition to his PV kilts, he had the good looking canvas kilt to my left made out of MOD/DOD grade ripstop canvas. His location kept him busy all day - when I left about 5:00 he was almost, but not quite, dead on his feet.
[edit] And while we talking, McPelle and his wife stopped by, so I got to meet them. And later in the day Phatpiper was at the booth as well.
I think that was all I managed to forget.[edit]



*My wrong turns weren't that bad. Just a pic from a business trip to upstate NY last week.

[Jimmy the Celt]

Great pics. I've gotta get one of the Nightstalker sporrans . . . and I can hardly wait for the second run of the X Marks tartan--it looks sharp!--and if that day ever comes, it's going to Rocky at USAK to become a semitrad . . . I wonder if he does box-pleats . . .

James

[Tattoo Bradley]

Looks like a great time. That ripstop canvas kilt sounds very interesting...

[Wompet]

After the CCK booth, there were some of the other sellers. I got a couple of compliments on the XMarks tartan along the way.
Stopped to watch the amateur athletics:



I had never seen women compete in Highland Games before. They had already completed the stone, weights for height & distance, and the hammer, so I only saw the caber toss. the women were doing a better job than some of male professionals I've seen. And for those of you who find the idea of a fine, athletic lass (which these were) holding a Scots pole upright in her hands suggestive in some way - shame on ya! What're ya thinking, starting to type that! Get your fingers away from that keyboard this instant! This a family forum!
B'sides, the program has it listed as the "Robertson caber" - so those of you without Robertson cabers wouldn't be in the contest anyway.

Of the men's events, I only saw the amateur sheaf toss:





I liked their improvised cross bar. In these two pics the height was 20'.

[Blu (Ontario)]

Wompet, I must say that the box pleat Xmarks kilt of yours is pretty distinctive. It was nice to meet up with you in person and put a face with the name.

It was a great day weather-wise and the event was well attended.

Unfortunately, the batteries in my camera went south and it was a 3/4 mile trek back to the car for fresh ones. I did manage to get a couple though.

I trust your trip back stateside was un-eventful!

[MacHummel]

Nice pics Wompet

It was awesome to see you , Blu ,Mcpelle, Canuck and on sunday phil h nice group of X Markers it was a great weekend anyone going to Fort Erie I'll be there and would love to see more XMarkers. Take care all I need to sleep and get to work tomorrow on all the kilts I have to make.

[Wompet]

After the athletics, I strolled through "Geneology Alley." Got more compliments on the XMarks tartan, and on the box pleat. Chatted with people at a couple of the booths of clans I know I'm related to. Turns out the woman running the Stewart booth had been to the Scottish Tartan Museum in Franklin and had ordered Stewart tartans from Matt before.
And I should have thought of it at the time, but there was there a picture I should have taken. I had a pleasant talk with a nice Scott couple (their name; not a misspelling), and the husband had a very interesting hat badge he had made. He had taken a block of cedar and carved it into the shape of a thistle plant badge. The detail work was quite good, and the whorls in the wood made interesting highlights on the thistle bloom. And enough of the wood had been carved off that it was quite light. Again, wish I had taken at least one picture.

On the way over to the opening ceremonies, I heard "Hey! I know that tartan!" It was Blu, wearing his Tewksbury XMarks kilt. We talked briefly.

Then there were the opening ceremonies and massed bands. Don't have any really good pictures of that. I wasn't standing in the best location. That, and the pregnant woman behind me tried to kilt check me twice - without lifting my kilt. That was a little distracting.

After that there were more vendors. Saw some nice ex-rental PCs from Hector Russell - may have to keep those in mind for next year.
Stopped by the RKilts booth and talked with Canuck again. He was also keeping busy - one of the UK wearers was sending people from all over the festval to him.

And in the Heritage Tent, there was wool weaving, sheep shearing

(which the sheep seem to enjoy - she didn't stop chewing her cud), the history of the bagpipes, and - for everyone here enjoys a slight slip every now and then - "All About Whiskey":


That's all from me for this year.

[Wompet]

Blu, it was good meeting you as well. And the trip back was blissfully uneventful.

Unfortunately, the batteries in my camera went south and it was a 3/4 mile trek back to the car for fresh ones.

It is annoying when that happens, isn't it? That's why I carry a fully charged spare set in the camera bag, even when I know the set in the camera is good.

[Kilted Stuart]

Well I must open with saying what a great time was had at the Fergus games this year. It was great meeting up with so many x-markers including Blu, Mcpeele, Wompet, phil h and of course Canuck. Thanks for the pics Wompet, it was nice meeting up with you finally and chatting.

Had a great and really busy time at MacHummel's CCK booth. Saturday was a zoo and hot but it was worth it to talk to so many nice people. Between the sun and heat and the night time festivities I have to go back to work on Monday to get some rest. The tartan, canvas, denim and ladies mini hiphugger kilts were big hits this year. Seem to be that more people are looking to buy kilts for more than just the special occation. We all know that ourselves but it seems the general public are getting the idea that it can be a garment worn more often.People are ordering more kilts for the first time with this idea in mind. Seems people are getting the concept.

My wife voluntered to work the beer garden on Saturday afternoon. She got great responce on her Gorden tartan hip hugger mini, and not just from men but women young and old. She sent more than a few interested women our way just from slugging beers. She also said that she got asked what she was wearing under her kilt more times than I do on a weekend at the games. I guess with a kilt or a kilted skirt it can work both ways.

All in all, had a great time. Can't wait till next year.

Kilted Stuart

[David Dalglish]

Nice set of pictures-- thanks