BATESVILLE, Arkansas – Get ready for a weekend filled with cultural celebrations, nostalgia and a dash of the past as ScotsFest, the 43rd annual Arkansas Scottish Festival and Lyon College Homecoming, introduces an exciting new addition to its festival lineup—the ScotsFest Vintage Swap Meet on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Becknell Gymnasium on East College Avenue on the Lyon College campus in Batesville.
ScotsFest, set for Oct. 27-29, has long been a beloved event in Arkansas, celebrating Lyon College’s rich Scottish heritage while bringing together Lyon College students, alumni and visitors to the Batesville community. Last year, more than 5,500 people joined in the festivities, and this year, there is even more to experience at ScotsFest.
Swap meet attendees can discover a treasure trove of vintage delights, from toys and sports memorabilia to fashion, crafts, records/music, collectibles, jewelry, artwork and more.
Vendor booth spaces, which include a table and two chairs, are available for $100 each. All proceeds benefit the Lyon College Art Club. There also will be a silent auction benefiting Lyon College student organizations.
Admission to the swap meet is $5, which benefits the art club.
To register for a vintage swap meet vendor booth, visit https://alumni.lyon.edu/events/1st-annual-lyon-college-swap-meet/tickets or contact Pam Palermo at Pamela.Palermo@lyon.edu to pay by cash or check.
For more information about the festival, including schedules and other activities, visit the official ScotsFest website at arscottishfest.com.
About Lyon College
Lyon College, a private, liberal arts institution founded in 1872, is the oldest college in the state with its original charter. Ranked by US News & World Report as a 2023 “Best College,” Lyon currently enrolls almost 600 students from 26 states and seven countries. Students can tailor their education, selecting from 24 majors as well as pre-professional and individualized options. Learn more at lyon.edu.
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 serves on the Arkansas Travel Council Board of Directors, is Batesville Rotary Club Past President, and is the Rotary Clubs’ current publicity 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.