THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 24, 1995 TAG: 9503220136
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 99 lines
Next Friday, don your most festive wimple, bodice, tunic or kilt and get downright medieval.
The Tidewater Scottish Festival - which moved its festivities lock, stock and haggis to find a home in Chesapeake at the Jubilee site - will organize and host a genuine Medieval Banquet beginning at 8 p.m. March 31 at the Holiday Inn-Chesapeake on Woodlake Drive.
``Normally, all we do is the once-a-year Tidewater Scottish Festival,'' said Eleanor Unger, president of the festival's organizing committee. ``But since we just moved to Chesapeake, our home now, we wanted to extend ourselves into the community. We though we'd do an outreach to the community with this banquet. And medieval banquets have been very popular in Britain for years.''
Unger said the event is being staged to raise money to help fund the annual Scottish Festival in Chesapeake. She said the nearby Khedive Temple will help sell tickets.
``We decided to align ourselves with the Khedive Temple,'' said Unger, who also heads the Virginia Beach Highlanders Scottish dance troupe. ``They will help us with ticket sales and promotions. Part of the money raised from the banquet will be donated to its burn hospitals. We thought this was a very worthy cause to help.''
But whatever the cause - promoting and highlighting Scottish culture or helping heal burned children - Unger said those attending the Medieval Banquet will have a good time feasting, singing and enjoying unique entertainment.
First of all, she encourages anyone who plans to attend to don medieval clothes or costume.
``If you're comfortable wearing some type of medieval dress or costume, by all means come,'' she said. ``Most of the men will probably wear kilts, which were worn during medieval times. Even I will probably wear some kind of period costume.''
And you can leave your Emily Post table manners at the door.
``Just like during a medieval banquet, there will be no utensils,'' Unger added. ``We'll have platters of crusty bread, oven-roasted potatoes you can pick up with your dainty little fingers, soup to drink from a mug and chicken to be eaten with the fingers as well.''
If medieval costumes, a hearty meal eaten finger-style and the conviviality of a banquet aren't enough, Unger promises more.
She said the Doorway Singers of Hampton Roads ``will help transform the hotel into Dunottar Castle for an evening with continual entertainment.''
Unger said the Doorway Singers released its first recording last Christmas, a collection of Dickens' seasonal songs. But for the banquet they'll perform an evening's worth of period songs and entertainment.
``They can specialize their program to fit many moods and ages,'' she said. ``They'll make us feel as if we're in Dunottar Castle, which was the home of the clan Keith. They'll do comedy and song and even assist with the bringing out of the food. Being the president of the festival, I'm afraid I'll be the butt of some of their jokes.''
Unger said seven members of her dance troupe, the Virginia Beach Highlanders, will be on hand to perform many period dances backed by taped music. In addition, a piper will perform what is known as piobaireachd (pronounced peeb-rock) music, or classical bagpipe music.
``We'll have a full evening of entertainment,'' she said. ``We want to give people the opportunity to socialize and enjoy themselves.''
Unger said this year's Scottish Festival, which takes place June 24, will include all the pageantry, dancing, music and Scottish games of last year's but with a few surprises.
``We found a local club for border collies,'' she explained. ``They'll be at this year's event. We're also bringing in two singers from Philadelphia and one from Texas who will provide Scottish entertainment. They perform the real thing and will help upgrade our overall entertainment.''
Unger said she's delighted with the fact that several Chesapeake Boy Scout troops, the local 4-H Clubs and personnel from the Naval Security Group Northwest will be on hand to help out.
She said the event will offer several other activities to take place at the Holiday Inn. The weekend will include a Friday afternoon tea reception and late-night supper, a Saturday evening Caledonian Cabaret dinner theater to be followed by a Scottish Ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee) or festive party and, finally, a farewell Sunday brunch.
``This year, we'll use the entire Chesapeake City Park, and we're striving each year to really make this into a family event,'' Unger said. ``We're getting help and support from the community, and we thought this medieval banquet would further entrench us in Chesapeake. It will be a lot of fun. Everyone is welcome.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by JAN HARRIS
Shannon Burnham and Leslie Savvas perform with the Virginia Beach
Highlanders Scottish dance troupe.
AT A GLANCE
WHAT: Medieval Banquet
WHO: Presented by the Tidewater Scottish Festival, with proceeds
to benefit the annual festival
and the Khedive Temple's burn hospitals.
WHEN: Friday, March 31, at 8 p.m.
WHERE: Holiday Inn-Chesapeake, Woodlake Drive.
COST: $35 per person, which includes dinner and entertainment.
CALL: Eleanor Unger at 481-2165 or Annette Harris at 587-4126.
by CNB