I was shocked to read the letter in your July 3 issue by Jim Akins, of the Scottish Tartans Museum and Heritage Center, Inc., who attacked our Taste of Scotland Festival. Mr. Akins did not attend our Festival himself, but took his information from a Facebook post by one disgruntled attendee. This “source” claimed that our Festival had “Two food trucks” selling “popcorn and boiled peanuts.” Actually, we had seven food vendors. Three of them — St. Andrews Square, the Scottish Cottage, and the Scotsman’s Pub — sold Scottish foods such as shepherd’s pie made with lamb, Scottish meat pies and pastries and Scotch eggs. We also had Kona Ice and two ice cream vendors. The American Legion Riders Macon Post 108 had a booth selling hot dogs, chips, and soft drinks to raise money for their community service projects.
Mr. Akins’ “source” claimed that we had only one clan at our Festival. Actually, the Bell, Davidson, and Hay clans had booths where they helped people of Scottish ancestry to locate their clan’s tartan. Also, there were over two dozen clans represented in our three parades, one on Main Street the evening before the Festival and the other two at the Festival itself. The marchers in each parade carried their clans’ banners (tartans).
Mr. Akins’ “source” said that we had “one pipe and drums.” We had the Jamestown Pipes and Drums Band, which has performed at prestigious Scottish festivals such as Loch Norman, N.C., Dunedin, Fla., and Stone Mountain, Ga. This band led our parade on Main Street the evening before the festival and led our parades at the festival itself on Saturday. Mr. Akins’ “source” decided that “The only positive was the IRISH band playing at the SCOTTISH FESTIVAL.” Our headliner band, Tuatha Dea, is a Celtic rock band. Mr. Akins’ “source” apparently doesn’t know that Celtic music comes from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and Brittany, regions settled by the early Celtic people.
Mr. Akins suggested that the Tourism Development Committee and the Tourism Development Authority should reconsider giving any funding to our Festival next year. Each year when we are selling tickets to our Festival, we ask the attendees for their zip code. This data has shown that approximately 50% of our attendees are from out of town. These out-of-towners stay at local hotels and motels, eat at local restaurants, and shop at local stores, thus contributing to our local economy.
To learn more about our Festival, please go to www.tasteofscotland.org and click on “Schedule.” Our Festival is always Father’s Day weekend with the Ceilidh (free outdoor concert) on Friday evening, the main Festival on Saturday, and the Kirkin’ O’ The Tartans service at First Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning. For 25 years, the main festival for Taste of Scotland has been on the Saturday before Father’s Day. Come to our Festival next year and see for yourselves what we have to offer!
Rebecca Sexton, Franklin