The Guelph Mercury's
Children's Activities at the 2007 Fergus Scottish Festival
MacKiddies Loch Fergus Ness
The Fergus Scottish Festival & Highland Games is an educational and fun place for children of all age. Archeology, crafts, face painting, story telling, costumes, dance, music, sport, sculpting, tartan pottery movies, music, historical re-enactments and historical Scottish trivia are all part of the adventures at the MacKiddies area located behind Nessie near the castle on the picturesque Loch Fergus Ness.
In 2007, the MacKiddies Centre includes Loch Fergus Ness with Castle Fergus nestled behind a small draw bridge safely transporting children over the dangerous moat of grass and furry haggis creatures. Meet the illusive Loch Ness Monster who has made a special trip across the ocean to entertain Fergus Festival visitors. Drop by and dig for ancestral haggis while capturing Nessie with your camera!
Queen Boudiccia, Carolyn McLeod, the Celtic princess of the ancient Celtic world will direct children through the 12 stations of activities throughout the children’s area.
Scottish re-enactments and history by Hugh Robertson and company of Scotland. Hugh will demonstrate Scottish sword fighting and teach about all things Scottish. A Must see!
Sine(Sheena) McKenna Celtic Heritage Programs , teacher and performing artist, will present an interactive teaching workshop on Gaelic and Gaelic song Participants will be introduced to basic Gaelic vocabulary and phrases through the medium of language-learning songs, some of which Sine has composed herself.
Doug Clayfield and band will teach the children various Scottish folk songs beginning with John Allan Cameron’s favourite “Lord of the Dance” Song sheets will be provided.
Scottish Storytelling: Interactive, costumed event featuring a haggis hurl, sheep toss, tartan tear, crafts and Trivia Centre. Stories about Hockey Night in Scotland, ghosts and mysteries and haunted castles, cats and dogs throughout Scottish history like Whiskers Wallace, Mew'd MacGregor, The Lap Ness Monster, Fluffy MacDonald, Ginger Knox, Robert the Puss.
Loch Ness Monster Sculpting: Canadian Scottish themed renowned sculptor Rob Knox. Will demonstrate and teach children how to sculpt With a Loch Ness theme.
Scottish Dance Lessons: skilled Scottish dancers will teach children the basic steps in Scottish dance.
Tartan Pottery Making: By Susan Callan with a Loch Ness Monster theme. A minimum fee for pottery materials required.
Children's Scottish athletics and Heavy Events (12 years & under): An experience for the small but mighty!
Under expert instruction, the children will have fun trying various activities including the mini-caber toss and farmer's walk. Children's Scottish Athletics and Heavy Events competitions take place in the Mac Kiddies Centre all weekend and competitions begin on Sunday on the main field 10:00-10:30 and 2:30-3:30. All other sporting activities such as the tartan tear and sheep toss are scheduled in the children’s area.
- Scottish dance lessons,
- Interactive costumed story telling, readers will tell stories about ghosts, Scottish mysteries, haunted castles as well as legendary people of Scottish history and cats and dogs throughout Scottish history
- “Lord of the Dance” Scottish folk song sing-a-long
- Face painting
- Crafts include the creation of Princess hats, swords and targs complete with heraldry
- Celtic colouring and crafts
- Loch Ness Tartan pottery
- Sculpting featuring Loch Ness monster designs
- Historical re-enactments with Hugh Robertson of Scotland
- Sporting activities such as fly fishing, the caber toss, tug of war, haggis hurl, tartan tear, long jump, races and sheep hurl or sheep for height!
- Archeological dig site, find the lost haggis of years gone by
- Scottish treasure hunt
The Guelph Mercury's MacKiddies Centre is open all weekend.
