The Radford Highlanders Festival:

The Radford Highlanders Festival

A Picturesque Weekend in Southwest Virginia

Families looking for a one-day fall getaway to the highlands of Southwest Virginia should visit Radford, Virginia, the weekend of October 8-9, 2004. That’s the weekend of the Ninth Annual Radford Highlanders Festival, a celebration of the region’s deep Scots-Irish roots. The festival is Saturday, October 9, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Moffett and Heth Fields at Radford University. Main Street Radford is hosting “A Downtown Celtic Celebration” on the eve prior to the festival, Friday, October 8.

The festival also features a kickoff parade through downtown Radford at 10 a.m., day-long heavyweight amateur athletics beginning at 9 a.m. on Moffett Field, stilt-walkers, magician and balloon sculptor Jeff Wampler, renaissance theatrical performers, Scottish clan gatherings, massed band performances by three leading pipe and drum bands, sheep dog herding demonstrations, a petting zoo, a Gaelic language workshop, genealogist research areas, a kiddy carnival and children’s tent and much more. More than 45 craft and food vendors offer everything from name plaques and jewelry to dolls, books and sweaters.

Admission is free and shuttle buses run throughout the day.

The festival is a joint partnership with the City of Radford’s Department of Parks and Recreation. The downtown celebration kicks off on Friday evening at the City of Radford’s Norwood Square. Events include a traditional Scottish Ceilidh featuring dancing, music and merriment, a beverage garden and craft and food vendors. Admission is free.

Venture out into the highlands while visiting the area. There’s something for the whole family and plenty to do and see. Radford’s Glencoe Museum is located in the west end of the city. Take a few moments to tour this historic house and learn more about the area’s history, traditions, and culture. The Appalachian Trail and Claytor Lake State Park are both within a 20-minute drive of Radford. Drive on a little farther and take a leisurely trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway. One of the most photographed sites in the world, Mabry’s Mill, is just a short distance from the parkway entrance near Floyd. Wineries, recreational activities, picnic sites, and museums can all be found on your one-day getaway. Southwest Virginia is an ideal travel destination and the Radford Highlanders Festival makes the destination all the more attractive.

To reach the festival grounds, take Exit 109 off I-81. Follow Route 177 as it becomes Tyler Avenue. Go through three traffic lights. Continue on Tyler Avenue and the festival grounds will be on the right. Parking is available near the site and also at RU’s Dedmon Center athletic complex.

For additional information, contact the Radford University Office of Public Relations at (540) 831-5324 or e-mail Bonnie Roberts Erickson at broberts@radford.edu .

Enter the Haggis, a group of energetic Celtic rockers based in Toronto, are this year’s headline musical entertainment. Their latest CD is “Casualties of Retail.” Sharing the stage with them will be Roanoke, Virginia’s Beggars’ Circus and the university’s own Celtic harpist Stevan Jackson. Highland dancing will be ongoing on festival day under the direction of one of the region’s finest Highland dancers, Anne Sampson. Her dance stage will feature various highland dance troupes. It’s one of the most “happening” spots to be on festival day.