Glasgow Lands festival
Northampton, MA 2007
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WSWNE at Glasgow Lands 2007
- a report from Ed & Beth (Roberts) Brown
For the fifth year in a row, the Welsh Society of Western New England
participated in the Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival at Look Park in
Northampton, Massachusetts. This year's event was held on Saturday July
21, a beautiful sunny day with low humidity.
We set up our new, larger Welsh Society "clan tent" among those of our
Celtic-cousin Scots. The new covering is a green color similar to that
in the Welsh flags we flew above it. Also on display was our new
professionally printed banner, newly constructed frame for our banner
and flag-holders, plus two new bulletin board displays flanking our
display table. One bulletin board display item that attracted
considerable interest was a list of surnames common to people of Welsh
descent. This parallels a practice common at each Scottish clan tent to
provide such a list for that clan.
Another first this year was the inclusion of a display ad in the
official festival program with information about WSWNE. One of our
goals in participating in this annual festival is to make our group
better known to attendees who frequently have some Welsh ancestry.
Among the many visitors to our tent, thirteen signed up to receive
further information from us.
More of our own members than ever before stopped to spend time at the
tent. Many not only took this opportunity to visit with other members
but also helped in various ways. In particular, Jim Loughman arrived
very early to help with the physical set-up and to greet visitors
during the opening ceremonies. Tom Bernard brought many materials for
the display table, served as the official photographer, and answered
numerous questions from visitors during the day. Greg Ryder was
particularly helpful all day long, from early adjusting of the new flag
holders (insuring our flags flew high and proud) to assisting Tom
Bernard and ourselves with the final breakdown and stowing away at the
end of the day. Among other members present were Nancy & Tim Doyle,
Shirley & Daniel Gilmartin, Heather & Arthur Norwood, Arvel
Steece, Jennifer Talbot, Melinda Thomas, Glynne Williams, and Sherry
Williams (who brought her striking red metal Welsh dragon to grace our
display table).
