68th Fergus Scottish Festival
 2013 Click on any photo to obtain a larger version. FRIDAY TATTOO
With Denis Snowdon as Master of Ceremonies, the tattoo featured the Royal Regiment of Canada, the Fergus Pipe Band, and the Highland Creek Pipe Band. A few members of the 48th Highlanders joined the massed bands later during the evening. As usual, we were seated near the camera man at field level, but neither the lighting conditions nor the location were particularly ideal for us.
PleaseCLICK HERE for a Youtube video of Mairi's Wedding by the Royal Regiment. Use the BACK button of your browser to return to this page.
One of the highlights of the evening was several attempts to set a world record for the number of participants who could obtain valid scores during a massed caber toss. The record of 50 was not broken. Tommy Leadbeater, who usually opens the tattoo, did not appear until later in the programme.
CLICK below for the caber toss attempt for a world record. Please CLICK HERE for book signing by Diana Gabaldon at the 2013 festival on You Tube. Please CLICK HERE for massed bands at the 2013 festival on You Tube by Ricky Foster.
The band of the Royal Regiment of Canada, formed in 1863 and now based at Fort York in Toronto, is the oldest permanently organized band in the Canadian Forces; they featured vocals by Danielle Bourne. The very lively out-of-focus Tommy Leadbeater finally appeared at centre field. Among the other performers was the Highland Creek Pipe Band. David Whycall's internationally acclaimed fire works display concluded the tattoo.
CLICK here for Danielle Bourne's performance. Watch the fire works display. AVENUE OF THE CLANS
This year, the Book Store featuring author Diana Gabaldon selling and signing her books still attracted crowds, but it was located at a fair distance from the Avenue of the Clans. The Heritage Tent was parallel to the 
On the positive side, the clan representatives appreciated the arrangement, and found David Radley (the new supervisor of the Avenue) most receptive to their suggestions. The weather was also responsible for a very successful turnout during the weekend. Clan representatives gave a thumbs up to the Clan Passports provided by the Scottish Studies Foundation once again as a means of involving the children (plus parents and grandparents) in their Scottish heritage. This was the most successful year of all, with recognition in the "Children's Programming" and the "Clan" sections of the Fergus Scottish Festival website (thanks to president Bruce C. Lloyd), even though there was no mention or credit given in the Official Program of the festival. 
TENT OF THE GREAT CLAN ROSS
Visitors to the Clan Ross tent included the following:
1. Andrew, Pat, Doug and Rob running the tent, 2. Karen and Colin Ross. 3. Colin sported a Ross Crest on his left arm, 4. My cousins Lloyd and Shirley from Fergus with grandson Robert Cadman from Kingston, 5. Susan Tokarsky, a descendant of Sir George W. Ross, and 6. David Montgomery, son of former Clan Ross Secretary and Newsletter Editor Margaret Montgomery. 
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