The August event line-up at the Iona Highland Village offers activities and programs for young and old to enjoy. As a living history museum, the village follows a daily animation schedule that exhibits traditional cooking, pastimes, and cèilidhs.
On Wednesday, August 4, the Highland Village will be hosting the Musique Royale Concert featuring Best of Boxwood 2010. The concert will feature performers Chris Norman, James Kelly, David Greenberg, and William Coulter. Their wide-ranging repertoire includes Irish, Acadian, Cape Breton, American, Baroque, and Renaissance styles. The concert starts at 7:30PM. Admission is $20 for adults and $5 for students. Tickets are available at the door or in the Highland Village gift shop.
The annual Highland Village Day Concert will be held on Saturday, August 7. The outdoor concert features fiddlers, step and highland dancers, pipers, and an assortment of local musicians such as The Boisdale Trio, Union Fire Pipes and Drums, and Sheumas, Kyle and Stewart MacNeil. The concert will be from 2:00PM to 6:00PM. Admission is $10 per person with free admission for children under 12. The concert will be held rain or shine.
The Làithean Sona/Happy Days program continues on Wednesdays in August from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Children age eight to 12 are provided costumes and have the opportunity to live for a day in the life of Gaels. Daily activities will include chores, crafts, games, language, and song. Cost is $30 per child, and reservations are required.
Na Deugairean/Living History for Youth is a similar program offered to teens age 13 to 17. Youth will participate in various activities that were typical in the life of young Gaels. Na Deugairean is offered Aug. 5 and Aug. 19 from 10:00AM to 4:00PM. Admission is $30 per youth, and advance registration is required.
For each Friday in August, children ages 5 to 10 are invited to take part in Spòrs, a morning of interactive games focusing on basic Gaelic vocabulary and phrases. Spòrs runs from 10:00am to 12:00pm, and admission is free.
Candlelight Tours will be held August 12 and 16, with special guide Catherine Gillis providing an intimate evening storytelling tour of Iona’s living history museum. The tour will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. during a sunset overlooking the Bras d’Or Lakes. Admission is $12 for adults, $5 for students, and $28 for a family rate. Pre-paid reservations are required.
The Highland Village Museum is open daily from 9:30am to 5:30pm For information or to register for any of the events, call 902-725-2272, email highlandvillage@gov.ns.ca, or visit highlandvillage.ca
