Irish Moss fun
Fun in the Sun is this year’s theme
Tignish Irish Moss Festival, under the theme of “Fun in the Sun,” is underway as things heat up for the final two days of the festival – Saturday and Sunday.
This time last year Megan Keough was in final preparation mode to represent Shirley’s Café in the Tignish Irish Moss Festival pageant. Fast-forward 12 months and Kinch is not only preparing to relinquish her Miss Irish Moss 2017 crown to her successor, but has taken on additional responsibilities as co-ordinator of this year’s festival. She acknowledges she has a much greater appreciation and understanding of the work that goes into running a festival this time around. She got offered the position while attending an early spring planning committee meeting. A core group of six volunteers as well as facility staff have helped plan this year’s festival events, which got underway Tuesday and run until Sunday, Canada Day. Numerous other volunteers are ready to help stage the long lineup of festival events. The theme of this year’s festival and Sunday’s festival parade is, “Fun in the Sun.” Some of the highlight events in the early days of the festival include the pageant contestants doing hair, make-up and nails for pageant princesses Thursday evening at the recreation office and a Wine and Beer Festival getting underway at the Legion at 8 p.m. The P.E.I. Mutual Youth Talent Contest will be staged at Credit Union Arena Friday at 6:30 p.m. The festival is still accepting registrations. The schedule gets really busy for the final two days of the festival as Saturday’s agenda starts with a town-wide yard sale at 8 a.m. The seven teens participating in the Miss Irish Moss pageant will participate in a pancake flipping contest during a pancake breakfast at Shirley’s Café at 9 a.m. Saturday. The contestants will attend the festival’s official opening at Credit Union Arena at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and will be back on stage at 7 p.m. for the talent portion of the pageant. Other events Saturday include a Princesses and Knights Tea Party at MJs Bakery at 2 p.m., a festival golf tournament at St. Felix Golf Course at 1 p.m. and the Irish Moss Festival’s adult dance with Old Doctor Young at 10 p.m. The festival’s co-ed ball tournament goes Sunday at 9 a.m., the annual parade is at 1 p.m., a family fun day at Bicentennial Park and a horse pull will happen behind the park at 2 p.m., a Michael Pendergast show is set for 4:30 p.m. and the final portions of the Irish Moss Festival Pageant get underway at 7 p.m. Festival co-ordinator and Miss Irish Moss 2017, Megan Keough will crown her successor. A big fireworks show off the North Block at Judges Point serves as the festival’s finale at 10 p.m.