STRICHEN FESTIVAL REPORT 2018

With the sun shining and blue skies Strichen Festival was the place to be.

The weekend started with a full house pre festival dance on the Friday evening with dancing to the very popular Garioch Blend Scottish Dance Band. The music was excellent drawing everyone onto the dance floor time and time again.

Saturday’s competitions were fairly well supported. It was marvellous to see so many children, some as young as five, taking part in the Doric Verse with teachers and family there to support them. Their recitations were excellent and very entertaining. The musicians along with the bothy and traditional balladeers performed a great selection of traditional music and song to a high standard much appreciated by all.

Gordon Hay was once again an able and entertaining compere for our Prize Winners Concert. If the applause was anything to go by then the audience certainly enjoyed it all, whether it was instrumental, singing, recitation or the very humerous “Hens march to the midden” tune on the moothie.

The day rounded off nicely with a toe-tapping ceilidh, once again to The Garioch Blend with Joe Aitken and Jim Taylor compering. Throughout the evening they were joined on the floor by a number of the days’ competitors as well as friends of the Festival, to provide a varied programme of entertainment in between the dancing.

The farewell ceilidh in the Royal British legion Hall on the Sunday was also led by Joe Aitken and Jim Taylor as well as our own Liz and John Slaven. It was another great session that rounded off an excellent weekend.

This year once again we had a super entry in the Doric short story and poetry classes, demonstrating a high standard of the Doric dialect. All competitors are to be congratulated on both their creative ability and their writing talent.

Janet Robinson and Moira Taylor  .  Festival Organisers.