August 12, 2015
Caravanners have already begun arriving at Boondooma Homestead in preparation for this weekend’s celebration of all things Celtic.
The Homestead’s fifth annual “Scots In The Bush” Celtic festival will be held from this Friday, August 14 through to Sunday, August 16.
But after last year’s scare about potentially disastrous weather kept many regulars away, organisers are hoping that this year’s forecast of sunny days and cool nights will see a bumper crowd return.
Today, Homestead spokesman Buddy Thomson told southburnett.com.au the first caravans had begun rolling into the grounds on Monday, and they were followed by 30 more on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“We think they’ll really start arriving in big numbers from Thursday, and Friday is always huge here,” Buddy said.
“So hopefully we’ll be pretty packed by the weekend.”
“Scots In The Bush” nominally celebrates the founders of the historic Homestead – three young Scotsmen who settled in the area in 1846 and went on to found the station, which once encompassed 1000 sq km and stretched from Proston to Brovinia Creek in the north and Darr Creek to the south.
But these days it’s more a celebration of all things Scottish and Irish, and a good excuse to camp out for three days enjoying a full program of Scottish and Irish singing and dancing; Highland games; and Scottish delicacies like shortbread and haggis (though there’s plenty of old-fashioned camp oven-cooked meals at the Homestead’s canteen if you prefer).
Headline artists performing at this year’s Festival include Ishka; Celtic Psychosis; The Clan; The Leaping Lizards; Noosa and District Pipe Band; Rum City Highland Dancers; Velcro; Blackheather; and Darryl Craft.
In addition to the canteen and a licensed bar, there’ll also be stalls merchandising everything from Scottish and Irish tartans to heraldry, bagpipes, wines, fine coffee and Scottish treats.
And on Saturday afternoon, guests can get to enjoy traditional Celtic sports like caber tossing, sword dancing and piping.
Admission – which includes bush camping at the Homestead – is $50 for the full three days, and children are free.
However day tickets are also available for anyone who’d like to enjoy the Friday night revelries, Saturday’s action-packed program or the more relaxed Sunday.
The Festival is one of the Homestead’s major annual fundraisers, and all proceeds go towards the maintenance and upkeep of the complex.
More details can be obtained from Boondooma Homestead’s website
