Scottish Festival considering July event date

DUNDEE--With several years of rainy weather, the Dundee Scottish festival may be moving the event to a summer date. The Dundee village board discussed the possible change during their regular board meeting Tuesday, Sept. 22, where they said the festival may move from September to July next year. Festival Organizer Fran Willis confirmed the possibility, although adding the decision is not final and will be voted on during the group's October meeting.
"We are hoping for better weather," Willis said. "Also the vendors and the clans all said they could come in July."
Willis noted throughout the festival's six years in operation, they have had more wet weather than dry.
"I know it can rain in July, but we had four out of six years of rain," Willis said. "The two years that it didn't rain, we made good money, but we haven't done well in subsequent years. We are looking for better weather."
However, despite the rain this year, Willis said they were able to draw a decent crowd. She said it helped that it was a lighter rain all day long than a heavy downpour. The Dundee board members said for having rain all day, the ground was surprisingly not muddy, as it was so dry it was able to soak up most of the rain.
"We just about broke even, which was good for a rainy day," Willis said. "We had a good crowd. We can't exactly count but I think we had around 700 to 900 people."
Willis added the festival intends to remain at Millard Park in the coming years, adding it was well received by people following the move from the racetrack.
"Millard Park was beautiful," Willis said. "The vendors loved it. The clans loved it. Everybody who had been at the race track said 'This was so much prettier and more like a Scottish Festival.'"