Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Jul 10, 2005 by Rodger L. Hardy Deseret Morning News
PAYSON -- Folks with Scottish heritage or with a love of the tartan converged on the 22nd annual Scottish Festival on Saturday.
About 10,000 people came to the one-day event last year, and early signs indicated that this year the event may be even more popular, festival vice president Syndey Young said.
"It gets bigger and bigger all the time," she said.
The tartan -- that plaid design that anciently identified the various clans -- was everywhere as folks proudly paraded their heritage in Payson's Memorial Park. The Highland Games dominated the attention of many festivalgoers as events that date back centuries took place.
Irish and Scottish dance and eight pipe bands kept attendees entertained throughout the day.
It was the first visit to the festival for brothers Dave and Mark Daymont of Pleasant Grove. Their surname is French, Dave Daymont said, but they also hail from the McGregors and the McKnights.
"Of course Scottish things are cool, anyway," he said.
They came to drink in the atmosphere, the music, the dance and the displays.
"It's almost like a fraternity," Mark Daymont said.
Among the booths was the Utah Scottish Association.
"We always support (the festival)," association president Dodd Greer said. "We help people identify their clans. It's all about clan and family."
It was also about peddling Scottish -- and Irish -- wares. The festival had 24 vendors, the most ever, Young said. The festival committee puts on the event for less than $10,000, she said, and raises money with food booths and from renting out booth space. Volunteers make it possible, she added. The city doesn't sponsor the event but supports it with assistance from the parks and recreation, power and police departments, she said.
Although the festival spun off from the Payson High School pipe band years ago, Payson has a Scottish heritage, Jay McClellan said. Born in Payson, but now living in Sandy, he manned the McClellan booth, one of 35 clan booths at the festival. He was dressed in full Scottish regalia.
His grandfather, William Carroll McClellan, and great- grandfather, Jay McClellan were among the early settlers of the town, he said. William Carroll McClellan was also a member of the Mormon Battalion.
Nearby, Robin Bemis took charge of the Young Clan booth. Born a Young but then adopted by his stepfather, Bemis said he was encouraged to search out his ancestors. He didn't find early Utah leader Brigham Young in his family tree, but he did learn about his heritage.
A Vernal teacher, he passes that information on to his students when they are learning about their heritage. On Scottish holidays or back-to-school nights he'll wear his kilt.
"By the end of the year the kids know what a kilt is," he said.
E-mail: rodger@desnews.com
Copyright C 2005 Deseret News Publishing Co.
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.
PAYSON -- Folks with Scottish heritage or with a love of the tartan converged on the 22nd annual Scottish Festival on Saturday.
About 10,000 people came to the one-day event last year, and early signs indicated that this year the event may be even more popular, festival vice president Syndey Young said.
"It gets bigger and bigger all the time," she said.
The tartan -- that plaid design that anciently identified the various clans -- was everywhere as folks proudly paraded their heritage in Payson's Memorial Park. The Highland Games dominated the attention of many festivalgoers as events that date back centuries took place.
Irish and Scottish dance and eight pipe bands kept attendees entertained throughout the day.
It was the first visit to the festival for brothers Dave and Mark Daymont of Pleasant Grove. Their surname is French, Dave Daymont said, but they also hail from the McGregors and the McKnights.
"Of course Scottish things are cool, anyway," he said.
They came to drink in the atmosphere, the music, the dance and the displays.
"It's almost like a fraternity," Mark Daymont said.
Among the booths was the Utah Scottish Association.
"We always support (the festival)," association president Dodd Greer said. "We help people identify their clans. It's all about clan and family."
It was also about peddling Scottish -- and Irish -- wares. The festival had 24 vendors, the most ever, Young said. The festival committee puts on the event for less than $10,000, she said, and raises money with food booths and from renting out booth space. Volunteers make it possible, she added. The city doesn't sponsor the event but supports it with assistance from the parks and recreation, power and police departments, she said.
Although the festival spun off from the Payson High School pipe band years ago, Payson has a Scottish heritage, Jay McClellan said. Born in Payson, but now living in Sandy, he manned the McClellan booth, one of 35 clan booths at the festival. He was dressed in full Scottish regalia.
His grandfather, William Carroll McClellan, and great- grandfather, Jay McClellan were among the early settlers of the town, he said. William Carroll McClellan was also a member of the Mormon Battalion.
Nearby, Robin Bemis took charge of the Young Clan booth. Born a Young but then adopted by his stepfather, Bemis said he was encouraged to search out his ancestors. He didn't find early Utah leader Brigham Young in his family tree, but he did learn about his heritage.
A Vernal teacher, he passes that information on to his students when they are learning about their heritage. On Scottish holidays or back-to-school nights he'll wear his kilt.
"By the end of the year the kids know what a kilt is," he said.
E-mail: rodger@desnews.com
Copyright C 2005 Deseret News Publishing Co.
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.
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