Late Summer Delights

You certainly don't have to be Scottish to enjoy this annual event, on Saturday, Aug. 27, hosted by the Long Island Scottish Clan Mac Duff. There's plenty of action for young and old, including competitions, entertainment, and Scottish treats. It's believed the games were begun by the ancient highland chieftans to help them select the strongest men for their armies. Those ancient traditions remain alive today in the form of solo piping and drumming, dance, caber tossing, Putting the Stone, Putting the Sheaf, and arm wrestling competitions.Other activities include: 2nd Regiment of Foot (Black Watch) drills and 18th century campsite; medieval swordsmanship; armoring demonstration; Nassau County Scottish Country Dancers exhibition; falconry, classic British cars and historical weapons displays; also an agility dog demonstration. There's also plenty to occupy the kids. They can take part in children's' races - running, sack, and spoon; tug-of-war; as well as their own caber toss, along with face painting, a performance by puppeteer Burt the Raccoon, and a Highland Cattle exhibit. So bring a picnic lunch, and be prepared to spend the day! The gates open at 8 a.m., with closing and massed bands at 5 p.m. Admission: $12 for adults, $8 for senior citizens, and $7 for children. Old Westbury Gardens is located at 71 Old Westbury Rd.,Old Westbury. For further information, contact (516) 333-0048. 

Visit the Long Island Museum, that regional treasure in historic Stony Brook, for a toe-tappin' good time on Sunday, Aug. 28. Sing and dance the afternoon away, from noon-5 p.m. at the annual music festival. "It's an old time, small town festival with lots of great folk and bluegrass music," said Betsy Radecki, Long Island Museum's Director of Education. Featured artists this year include Redbird, Caroline Doctorow and Pat Wictor. The Homegrown String Band, a frequent Festival participant, is back again, doing its 21st century incarnation of a traditional American family band.Some 1,000 people are expected to attend. Besides enjoying the varied performances, visitors can learn to contra dance with the Long Island Traditional Music Association, and browse among the crafts on display. For those who are musically inclined, "Strum Hollow" offers an opportunity to fiddle along in impromptu jam sessions. This year's headliner, Redbird, is a group of three songwriters - Kris, Delmhorst, Jeffrey Foucault and Peter Mulvey. While touring separately in January 2003, they discovered a musical affinity and shared love of a fairly diverse spectrum of Americana. In August 2003, they completed their first album, and what emerged is a love letter to American song.Sharing the bill is singer-songwriter Caroline Doctorow, whose style of music falls into the folk-pop genre, and singer-songwriter Pat Wictor.For the younger set, the Long Island Traditional Music Association is on hand, with old-fashioned games and crafts. Admission: $10 for adults, $5 seniors, $5 ages 6-17. Visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. The Long Island Museum is located at 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook. Parking is available at the SUNY Stony Brook campus nearby, with shuttle buses to the festival grounds. For more information, contact (631) 751-0066 or www.longislandmuseum.org.

Singer-songwriter-activist Harry Chapin is long gone, but never forgotten. His legacy lives on in his words and music, and his philanthropic contributions throughout the region. He died in an auto accident on the way to perform at Eisenhower Park in July 1981. On Monday, Aug. 29, many of Long Island's singer-songwriters will come together, at the theater in Eisenhower Park that now bears his name, to give the concert Chapin intended."Just Wild About Harry," the tribute concert, is organized by singer-songwriter Stuart Marcus, of Malverne. His fellow participating musicians include Martha Trachtenberg, Judith Zweiman, Sonny Meadows, Marci Geller, SpoonWalk, Jane Ross, Terry Winchell, Doc Butler, Mike Soloway, and many others, along with some surprise special guests. The program marks the season finale for Eisenhower Park's Summer Concert Series. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m., at Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre in Eisenhower Park, East Meadow. Concertgoers should bring their own seating. Contact

(516) 572-0200 for further information, or the special events line at (516) 572-0223.