The Bellingham Scottish Gathering moving to a new location for 2020
The Bellingham Scottish Gathering is moving from Hovander Homestead Park near Ferndale and adding a golf tournament.
When the event opens June 6, it will do so at the 360-acre North Bellingham Golf Course at 205 W. Smith Road.
“We are a growing festival already attracting participants from around the world,” event organizer Heather Richendrfer said in a news release. “As we evolve, we will focus on improving our offerings to the public. North Bellingham Golf Course provides (an) opportunity to accomplish this goal through the enthusiasm of their management and the quality and size of the property.”
The North Bellingham Golf Course is described as a public, Scottish links-style course. Golf originated in Scotland, so organizers said adding a game of golf to the gathering was a natural fit.
Richendrfer also is the executive director of the Scottish Dance Society, which is putting on the gathering.
The organization did so in 2018 and 2019 at Hovander Homestead Park — replacing the Bellingham Scottish Highland Games that ended in 2017.
That was when the group behind the Highland Games canceled what would have been the 57th annual event, citing a lack of funding and participation.
The event has long been at Hovander.
The Bellingham Scottish Gathering will feature competitive highland dancing, individual bagpipe and drumming, Scottish athletics and bagpipe bands, according to the release.
There will be merchants, food vendors, clan tents, animal displays and a beer garden as part of a day-long celebration of Scotland’s culture.
While the golf games will be on the course, the other events for the gathering will on the open fields around it.
For details:
▪ Scottish Dance Society’s Facebook page for the Bellingham Scottish Gathering.
▪ northbellinghamgolf for the golf tournament.
This story was originally published January 23, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
