Local photos featured on new event sign

At long last, there's a new event sign on the main southern entrance to Fergus.
The sign at the corner of Victoria Park on Tower Street South advertised upcoming community events in Fergus for years, until it was destroyed in a windstorm in April 2009.
The new sign, featuring big, colourful photos of local activities and a list of community events, was put up early last week.
The far right panel lists the community's premier events - Doors Open, the Truck Show, Scottish Festival, downtown Classic Car Show, and Fall Fair.

Three days of  pipes and plaid

Fergus Scottish Festival celebrates 65th anniversary

Starting with a parade and community party, the Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games is four days of "all things Scottish."
Or, as the festival marketing tag suggests, it's like a trip to Scotland - without the airfare.
New for this year's 65th anniversary festival is the return of the traditional parade, which harkens back to the days when the Highland Games filled Victoria Park in Fergus before moving out to the grounds of the Centre Wellington Sportsplex.
In those days, bands, pipers and other participants gathered at the Fergus Legion and paraded through downtown to the park.
This year, on Thursday evening Aug. 12, "Pipes, Plaid and Pageantry" will gather Legion colour parties, marching bands, pipes, drums, floats  and members of the community in a march from Victoria Park to the Legion starting at 7:30 p.m.

Community barbecue celebrates Food Day Canada

Celebrate food on July 31.
A big community barbecue at the Grand River Raceway and special activities at the Elora Farmers' Market are just two local events helping to get people celebrating Food Day Canada.
Food Day is a national celebration of restaurateurs, suppliers, growers, farmers and citizens. This eighth annual event features activities across the country, heralding our regional diversity, culinary creativity and world-renowned reputation for throwing an amazing party, according to the Food Day Canada website.
Founded by local culinary activist, educator and writer Anita Stewart, Food Day began as The World's Longest BBQ in 2003, and has grown to be a day for sharing food and food stories, while showcasing the country's cultural diversity - especially as it relates to food.

Not a typical concert experience

Elora festival heads into fourth and final week

Classical music can be fun, according to I Furiosi.
The Toronto-based group added some acting and antics to their performance of baroque instrumentals and songs and got the St. John's Church audience laughing and cheering at their Saturday afternoon show in the Elora Festival.
I Furiosi is a string trio - two violins and a cello - and soprano (plus a harpsichord player on Saturday) that is known for its edgy performances and for shunning the traditional concert-going experience, according to the festival.
From the start, the show was not a typical classical music concert. Soprano Gabrielle McLaughlin performed the opening "If my complaints could passions move" wearing a dark hoodie, to return later in a leather corset.