Weekend festivals will entertain, inform

FINGER LAKES--The summer is in full swing, and a number of weekend events will give visitors and locals alike the chance to experience something new. The Dundee Scottish Festival is a one-day event on Saturday, while both the Wine Country Classic Boats Show and the Finger Lakes Wine Festival run Saturday and Sunday. The events occur in Dundee, Hammondsport and Watkins Glen, respectively. Details on the events follow:
Dundee Scottish Festival
The eighth annual Dundee Scottish Festival will be held Saturday, July 15. The event is at a new location this year, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) property, 125 Seneca Street Extension (corner of Seneca St. and Jessop Rd.), Dundee. The festival will feature artists, music, dancers, highland games, food, wineries, breweries, and more.
Scheduled events begin at 10 a.m. and continue all day. At 10:30 a.m. the official opening ceremony will take place on the games field. There are a number of areas in the festival that have individual demonstrations or performances planed. This includes the Highlander Stage, The Highlander and Lady Scot tent, the piper's circle, games field, main tent and the dance stage.
On the Highlander Stage, Mary Lester, The Harper and The Minstrel and Magical John will provide entertainment from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The piper's circle begins at 11:30 a.m. and features the Caledonian Highlander Pipes and Drums, 96th Highlanders Pipes and Drums, The Irish American East Side Pipe Band and solo and small group performances. The main tent has a number of musical groups planned throughout the day. Headlining is American Rogues with 3:15 p.m. and 5 p.m. planned shows. Also in the main tent, are STEP IN TIME and Penny Whiskey.
The dance stage will host The Ring of Chiarraighe Celtic Dancers, Carle Irish Dance, Katherine Robinson School of Highland Dance, Dundee Symphonic Steel Drums and Doolin' O' Dey. The stage also has lessons in between performances showing how to dance or play music.
The Highland Games will again be held at the festival grounds, featuring several feats of strength. There will also be a dunking booth and vendors offering unique items.
A massed band coronation ceremony will take place at 4:30 p.m.
Tickets are $10 and children under 18 are free. A complete schedule is available at www.dundeescottishfestival.com, as well as the link to buy tickets online.
Wine Country Classic Boats Show
The Wine Country Classic Boats 35th annual show is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, July 15 and 16 at Depot Park in Hammondsport.
This year, the show will highlight boats built in the 1940s. Each year the boating event draws several thousand people and between 75-100 classic and vintage boats will be navigating Keuka Lake by the Hammondsport waterfront.
The event runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and the show is scheduled from 9 a.m to 1 p.m. Sunday.
The event features free admission to a display of antique and classic boats featuring wooden and fiberglass construction. A judged show and parade of boats is set for Saturday. A new poker run will be held on Sunday at 10:15 a.m.
Finger Lakes Wine Festival
From July 14-16, Watkins Glen International will transform into a celebration of more than 90 New York state wineries, in addition to musicians, regional chefs, food purveyors, craft vendors and visitors.
Now in its 21st year, the Finger Lakes Wine Festival was established at the New York Chiropractic College in Seneca Falls before it was taken over by Watkins Glen International in 1996. Since then, it has expanded into the east coast's largest tasting event focusing on New York state wines, crafts, and cuisine.
"There is something for everyone at this event, and it's amazing to see it grow each and every year," said Watkins Glen International President Michael Printup.
This year's festival kicks off Friday, July 14 with the Yancey's Fancy Launch of The Lakes party. The festival's "Opening Night" is complete with an opportunity to win a variety of prizes in the toga contest, and two individuals will also be crowned as the 2017 King and Queen of the Finger Lakes Wine Festival. Gates open at 5 p.m. for the evening, which features previews of several festival wineries, an array of artisan cheese and a dusk fireworks display.
Saturday and Sunday will have countless wineries and vendors arranged in the garage and tent areas around the track infield paddock. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
In addition to the wine, live music, pace car rides, outdoor demonstrations, wine seminars presented by Women for WineSense, and cooking demos presented by the New York Wine and Culinary Center will also be featured throughout the weekend.
The Stage in the Sparkling Courtyard, will play host to several performances and demonstrations, including Ice Carving from The Ice Farm, Justin Wood Circus, Aloha Hula Fire Knife Dancer, Aloha Hula Traditional Polynesian Dance Show, and the Drumadics, a beat and brass band from New York City.
Live music will be played by Keith James Band, Rebecca McDonald, Qwister, The Family Ties Band, Virgil Cain, DJ Samborn, Scott Adams, Aunt Millie's Biscuits, Savannah Harmon Band and The Jeff Fetterman Band.
A two-day taster pass (Saturday and Sunday) is $55 and a one-day pass is $50. A one-day designated driver pass is available for $25. Friday's Launch of The Lakes toga party is $20, and is not included with a taster pass.
Tickets for the Finger Lakes Wine Festival, and accompanying weekend events can be purchased by visiting www.flwinefest.com. Camping at The Glen is also available throughout the weekend.