NATALIE EVANS - Daily Herald
A little jig, kilts and bagpipes tunes in the air. White tents in a circle.
This weekend Payson looks like an ancient traveling caravan parked in Memorial Park. For the 24th annual Payson Scottish Festival, 25 vendors parked their campers and rolled up their tent doors to show their wares.
Thirty clans -- family groups -- put up their tents and displayed their family tartans, no matter the distance that it took to travel. Many set up camping tents inside the display tents for Friday night.
"I have to represent the Stewarts in the state of Utah," said Ian Wilson of Nun, Colo. He sat surrounded by his clan tartan, wearing his clan kilt. He said the study of authentic Scottish clothing and wares has taken him 20 years.
Today he'll fight to win for his clan in the Highlander Games, which include tossing various weights and cabers for distance and height.
The games and swords are what bring Payson resident Jason McClain to the festival every year. He does have Scottish blood but doesn't participate.
Sydney Mac Leud Young, a vice president on the Payson Scottish Festival board, said Payson was originally settled by the Scottish.
On Friday, Chandler Billman, 6, surrounded by helmets, chain mail, swords and Celtic knots, found a different world.
"Find the treasure here and you'll be rich!" Billman read off of a business card from a vendor. The words weren't on the card, but minutes later while looking at silver rings lined up in a box, he found what he was looking for.
"Oh my gosh! We are rich! We got the treasure!"
Even if one isn't from Scotland, or Payson, organizers of the festival invite everyone to come and play like Billman.
"Wouldn't you celebrate, too, if you were from Scotland?" Wilson said.
A new part of the festival this year is the expanded children's area. At the picnic tables near the playground, children will be able get their face painted, decorate a crown, make a necklace, design a coat of arms and do several other Celtic activities.
Dancers and music performances will last until closing ceremonies at 4 p.m. The dancers of An Dragan Ceilteachin Riverton come to the Scottish festival every year.
Dancing inspired dancer Ashley Robbins, 14, of South Jordan, to realize that she did have an Irish line.
"It's the funnest exercise you can do," she said.
Natalie Evans is available at 344-2561 or nevans@heraldextra.com
This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A10.
A little jig, kilts and bagpipes tunes in the air. White tents in a circle.
This weekend Payson looks like an ancient traveling caravan parked in Memorial Park. For the 24th annual Payson Scottish Festival, 25 vendors parked their campers and rolled up their tent doors to show their wares.
Thirty clans -- family groups -- put up their tents and displayed their family tartans, no matter the distance that it took to travel. Many set up camping tents inside the display tents for Friday night.
"I have to represent the Stewarts in the state of Utah," said Ian Wilson of Nun, Colo. He sat surrounded by his clan tartan, wearing his clan kilt. He said the study of authentic Scottish clothing and wares has taken him 20 years.
Today he'll fight to win for his clan in the Highlander Games, which include tossing various weights and cabers for distance and height.
The games and swords are what bring Payson resident Jason McClain to the festival every year. He does have Scottish blood but doesn't participate.
Sydney Mac Leud Young, a vice president on the Payson Scottish Festival board, said Payson was originally settled by the Scottish.
On Friday, Chandler Billman, 6, surrounded by helmets, chain mail, swords and Celtic knots, found a different world.
"Find the treasure here and you'll be rich!" Billman read off of a business card from a vendor. The words weren't on the card, but minutes later while looking at silver rings lined up in a box, he found what he was looking for.
"Oh my gosh! We are rich! We got the treasure!"
Even if one isn't from Scotland, or Payson, organizers of the festival invite everyone to come and play like Billman.
"Wouldn't you celebrate, too, if you were from Scotland?" Wilson said.
A new part of the festival this year is the expanded children's area. At the picnic tables near the playground, children will be able get their face painted, decorate a crown, make a necklace, design a coat of arms and do several other Celtic activities.
Dancers and music performances will last until closing ceremonies at 4 p.m. The dancers of An Dragan Ceilteachin Riverton come to the Scottish festival every year.
Dancing inspired dancer Ashley Robbins, 14, of South Jordan, to realize that she did have an Irish line.
"It's the funnest exercise you can do," she said.
Natalie Evans is available at 344-2561 or nevans@heraldextra.com
This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A10.
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