Cambridge Scottish Festival cancelled days before 50th anniversary

A message on its website states the festival has been cancelled, a decision the board of directors did not make “lightly.”

The Cambridge Scottish Festival was set to mark its momentous 50th anniversary in a few days, but it was cancelled because of “unforeseen circumstances.” On the site, it reads that the board of directors came to the decision, and it is hopeful that a future iteration of the festival is possible.

It notes that it hopes to have a “bigger and better festival in 2027.”

“The Board of Directors sincerely thanks our volunteers, sponsors, vendors, performers, competitors, and the many attendees who have supported the Cambridge Scottish Festival over the years,” they wrote.

When it took over Cambridge, the festival celebrated the culture with pipe bands, highland dancing and competitive events like caber tossing. There was live music and a beer tent, and it offered people the chance to learn about Scottish heritage.

Volunteers needed

Events like the Scottish festival have a backbone of people behind them, adding in hours to bring the event together: work they do as a volunteer.

Volunteerism has been in steady decline for years, it started before the pandemic but has decreased significantly in the years since.

Jane Hennig, Executive Director, Volunteer Waterloo Region previously spoke to The Mike Farwell Show and said they’re seeing a drop in numbers amongst their most reliable groups of volunteers: seniors and students.

She said on average seniors contributed the highest number of hours, but that has changed.

“What we’re hearing from the young people is that it’s not that they don’t want to volunteer; they just are afraid. They don’t know how to interact with people they don’t know.”

Hennig says volunteering has a significant effect on the economy.

“When we look at the contribution of volunteers prior to the pandemic across Canada, it was like 2.7 per cent of the GDP. When you work that out to a local number, that over $1.2 billion of contribution from volunteers through their work efforts.”

But she adds there is also an intrinsic value that comes from volunteering.

“The volunteer really gets something out of it. They’re feeling that their contribution is making a difference. Something they believe in is happening the community. The recipient is receiving a service they need.”