Fergus Scottish Festival draws crowds seeking all things Scottish

FERGUS – Preliminary numbers indicate some 23,000 people attended the Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games over the Aug. 11 to 13 weekend and that has executive director Elizabeth Bender smiling.

“It’s down a little bit from last year, but last year we knew there was post-COVID fever,” Bender said in an interview.

“This year we were hoping to hit the 20,000 mark and we certainly did.”

Bender said all processes and operations went according to plan and that meant visitors enjoyed themselves, as did the competitors.

Rain on Saturday morning slowed attendance but it picked up by noon, “and then we were hopping,” Bender said.

“It was very much a Scottish rain, in and out in a hurry.”

Bender thanked sponsors, volunteers, special guests, and all the visitors, who made the festival a success.