Lyon College ScotsFest Kilted Fun Run to round out huge festival weekend
BATESVILLE, Arkansas – Lyon College is gearing up for ScotsFest, the ultimate fusion of the Arkansas Scottish Festival and the Lyon College Homecoming, from Friday, Oct. 27, to Sunday, Oct. 29, on the Lyon College campus at 2300 Highland Rd. in Batesville.
The much-anticipated Kilted Fun Run, where participants don kilts and take a leisurely stroll or run through Batesville, is set for Sunday, Oct. 29, following the bonniest knees contest at 1 p.m. in the entertainment tent. Event sponsor is White River Health.
Registration for the fun run is $25 and $10 for students and children. Participants can register at https://alumni.lyon.edu/events/scots-fest/tickets or by contacting Pam Palermo at Pamela.Palermo@lyon.edu.
The Arkansas Scottish Festival, which originated in 1979 as a humble fair on Lyon College’s intramural field, has evolved into one of Arkansas’ premier festivals. It’s a heartfelt tribute to the Scottish heritage of the college’s Presbyterian founders, and this year marks its 43rd anniversary. To add to the excitement, it’s the third consecutive year that the festival will be combined with the Lyon College Homecoming celebration.
Last year, this unique event attracted over 5,500 festival-goers and had a substantial economic impact, injecting an estimated $1.2 million into Independence County’s economy. The festival’s rich history and community significance are undeniable.
Presented by Lyon College and lead partner Experience Independence, ScotsFest 2023 promises new and thrilling additions. These include a vintage swap meet, a comedy show featuring “America’s Got Talent” alumnus Cam Bertrand, a free rocket-building workshop, and captivating performances by the Piper Jones Band and Celtic musician Misty Posey.
The festivities kick off at noon on Friday with a delectable food truck fair, a wide array of vendors, and exhibitions highlighting the heritage of Scottish clans. The Ozark Beer Co. entertainment tent will come alive with talented performers throughout the day. Notable acts include third-generation Arkansas musician Garrett Duncan and his wife, Ashton, at 4 p.m., central Arkansas country rock band Drasco at 6 p.m., and the award-winning Arkansas bluegrass ensemble, The Gravel Yard, at 8 p.m.
On Saturday, the festival gets underway at 8 a.m.with historical reenactments, a Highland heavy athletics competition, Scottish clan reunions, sheep dog demonstrations, rocket demonstrations, pipe band exhibitions, Highland dancing, a British car show, the Li’l Highlanders Fun Zone, a dog show and entertainment throughout the day featuring Celtic songstress Posey. There will be a vintage swap meet from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., showcasing the best in vintage toys, sports memorabilia, fashion, crafts, collectibles, jewelry, artwork, and culture.
The Ozark Beer Co. entertainment tent keeps the party going from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with performances by the Piper Jones Band, known for their energetic renditions of traditional tunes from Scotland, Ireland and Appalachia. A traditional Scottish ceilidh rounds out the day’s events.
On Sunday, the festival opens at 8 a.m. with historical reenactments, sheep dog demonstrations, Highland dancing, and a Kirkin’ o’ the Tartan worship service at 11 a.m. in the entertainment tent. At 1 p.m., it’s time for the bonniest knees contest, followed by the Kilted Fun Run for adults, students and children.
The festival wraps up at 4 p.m. on Sunday, bringing an end to an unforgettable weekend.
General admission to the festival is free, though some individual and alumni events require separate registration.
For the complete schedule, visit arscottishfest.com.
Cathy Drew is a lifelong resident of the region that she loves to promote. She was born in downtown Batesville in the late ’60s, located in one of the eight counties she now enjoys encouraging people to visit.
Drew became associated with the Ozark Gateway Region in 1990 while working at the ad agency (The Media Market Inc.). The agency handled marketing for the regional association, where she and her co-workers produced an annual tabloid publication. She began working as the Ozark Gateway Region director in June 2000.
After Drew became director, she took the region to the next level by helping the tourism organization create a new website and moved it from the old newspaper paper tabloid publication to a color magazine format. She helped open a visitor center for the Ozark Gateway, allowing visitors to pick up information from the entire state 24/7. Over the years, Drew has helped the organization meet new marketing goals, such as in- and out-of-state marketing, assuring that all 100,000 copies of their magazines are distributed each year.
In 2016, she assisted in creating the first Ozark Gateway Region Golf Classic. The tournament continues to grow each year, allowing the organization to expand its co-op program and helping each county have dedicated promotion. Drew stays busy at Ozark Gateway as the ad sales manager, magazine editor, day-to-day office operations, trade show representative, and magazine distribution representative, all while ensuring that the region is represented all over Arkansas and southern Missouri.
Drew was featured in several local and statewide publications over the years, as well as the 1997 cover of the Ozark Gateway Region tabloid, along with her then 4-year-old son, Jon. She has received several awards, such as the Batesville Rotarian of the Year in 2010 and a three-time Paul Harris Fellow.
She also has served as an Independence County election commissioner for several years. She now serves as their co-election coordinator, helping with behind-the-scenes management of voting equipment, day-to-day election deadlines, and poll worker training.
Drew is Batesville Rotary Club Past President, and is the Rotary Clubs’ current membership chair.
In March of 2018, Drew was honored with induction into the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame for her many years of dedicated service to the tourism industry.