Hogman-eh 2023! - Family Activities, Hall of Origins and Entertainment
What’s happening before seven o’clock at this Year’s Hogman-eh! in the Aberdeen Pavilion? A lot!
The Hogman-eh! 2023 planning team has been busy for months and the Scottish Society of Ottawa is thrilled by what’s to come at this great New Year’s Eve show at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa.
We work hard to make Hogman-eh! a family event and that is why we have special programming planned for kids. I will take place before 7:00 pm when we do the balloon drop to mark New Year’s Eve in Scotland (which is five hours ahead of us in Ottawa). The Kids’ Zone will be located in the main Aberdeen building, so families won’t miss a thing.
On stage we will kick off at five o’clock with the Scottish Society’s very own baritone John Young singing classic Robbie Burns favourites.
Remember, you can come early or come late. Some of our headliners will do an early show before 7:00 pm and will return later to finish their performances. Anna Ludlow, the multi-award nominated fiddler from Antigonish Nova Scotia will bring her brand of the kitchen party and promises to collaborate with Cape Bretoners Alexis MacIsaac and Calum MacKenzie, creating a sizzling down home musical offering. There will be something for the kids and all young highland dancers. Having young children of their own, these fine musicians know how to engage with youngsters.
Ally the Piper
Our very special guest Ally the Piper is a dazzling multi-instrumentalist and she will give the early crowd a sample of her electrifying performance on the highland bagpipes. Seen by millions over the internet, she is sold out in many venues across the USA. Hogman-eh! 2023 will mark her Canadian debut.
We get rocking even harder later in the evening with some perennially favorite bands like The Brigadoons and the Mudmen – come early for the countdown and stay later for the singing of Auld Lang Syne, for a night you will not forget!
Become a Volunteer
We are still looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help with Hogman-eh! By volunteering for 2-3 hours, you will receive complimentary access to the evening’s entertainment from 5:00 pm – 1:00 am, pizza, and a cold drink. It’s a $25-$40 value! We need people to assist in positions such as gate attendant, ticket sales, VIP experience and accessibility, safety team and teardown crew. Clink on the link below for details on assignments and to sign up. We hope you can join us!
Slàinte Mhath!
Authored by Donald Macdonald
SSO Director of Hogman-eh!
In the Hall of Origins
We are excited to share that this year’s Hall of Origins will once again feature a range of excellent and interesting groups.
If you love culture, come by to see the Ardbrae Dancers of Ottawa, the group promotes beautiful and entertaining Scottish country dance and music. They are also affiliated with the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society.
Did you know that the province of Nova Scotia has an Office of Gaelic Affairs? The Nova Scotia Highland Village Society operates Baile Gàidheal / the Highland Village, which is an outdoor living history museum and Gaelic folklife center that illustrates the story, culture, and identity of Nova Scotia Gaels. Check them out for all sorts of information on their museum and on national and international Gaelic resources.
A huge highlight is always our friends, the Clans and Scottish Societies of Canada (CASSOC). They provide the link between various clans and Scottish societies, encouraging the celebration of Scottish cultural heritage and promoting it as much as possible.
Your name might be one of the more than one hundred that are recognized as part of the Canadian chapter of the Clan Gregor Society. Come and learn more!
Currently in it’s 30th year, Culinary Historians of Canada provides a wealth of information for food history buffs, and everyone else who wants to learn more about cooks, cooking, and foods in Canada. They also maintain an extensive list of Canadian and international food history websites.
The Ottawa Welsh Society promotes Welsh history, culture, and language and will have a lot to share on-site.
If you have roots in the British Isles, you’ll want to stop by and visit The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa. They are the leading Canadian family history society with a focus on the British Isles, including England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.
Also known as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Own, the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa Regimental Family consists of the Regiment, Association, Foundation, and affiliated Army Cadet Corps. Come learn about their exciting history!
The beautiful Ottawa Celtic Choir sings songs from the seven Celtic nations and strongly Celtic-influenced areas (such as the Atlantic provinces, Québec, and Ontario). They sing in six Celtic languages as well as English, French, and Galician-dialect Spanish.
Musical entertainment in the hall will be provided by Mullingar Session. They will be joined by Sandy, the Chaplain, and a Robbie Burns aficionado. For fans of Outlander, join us at our SSO photo booth, to have your photo taken with our life-sized cutouts of Jaime and Claire.
Be sure to visit us on-site, as we will have many more surprises!
Authored by Tracy Lynn Perreault
SSO Secretary
The Mullingar Players
Starting in the early 18th century large groups of Scottish settlers arrived in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, bringing their Celtic culture and music. Over the next two-plus centuries, this music evolved with French Acadian influences to create a uniquely Maritime Celtic music sound that has its heart in Cape Breton. This Celtic music tradition is alive and well today at international festivals such as Celtic Colours and Kitchenfest.
You can hear it this year at Hogman-Eh! too, with a group known as “Mullingar Session Players.” It’s composed of 18 musicians who join in when they can play various instruments from a guitar and mandolin to a Celtic harp and bagpipes.
The Scottish Society of Ottawa (SSO) is fortunate to have former SSO director and native Cape Bretoner, Ron Roach (of Clan Ranald) and Dave Johnston, another SSO director and bagpiper, amongst us. Both are founders of Mullingar. They had originally attempted a traditional Ceilidh (Ceilidh means “visit” in both Scottish and Irish Gaelic) with six musicians at the SSO Kilt and Curl in April 2022. It was well received but needed the extra energy and excitement of audience participation normally experienced at a true “down home” kitchen party.
The kitchen party idea is drawn from the Maritimes and Newfoundland tradition of playing tunes and songs, led by participants in succession, around a cleared-out country kitchen. The audience can join in, sing, and sometimes dance around and inside the circle of players.
The Mullingar Players came together later in 2022 when Ron and an accomplished Ottawa vocalist Skye MacDiarmid, were asked by Janet Uren of the Linden House Theatre Company to organize a Ceilidh to follow their performance of “Outside Mullingar.” Everyone joined forces to create a true Ceilidh - and indeed a Kitchen Party atmosphere. Ron wasn’t sure Ottawans would embrace and participate in this style of self-made entertainment. But embrace it they did. “I was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and level of participation of the audience that joined around the circle,” said Ron.
The initial Mullingar Session at Linden House included ten musicians playing several different instruments. The music ranged from traditional Irish and Scottish ballads to jigs, reels, and contemporary Celtic favorites. The number of players, instruments, and types of music has expanded since then. Particularly notable this year was at the New Edinburgh Festival where the circle grew and audience participation was strong. It was fun.
The addition of superb vocalist John Young who sings many of the traditional songs of Robert Burns, has also added a wonderful new element. Hogman-Eh! director Donald Macdonald on bagpipes and communications director Andy MacCulloch on guitar, round out the SSO musicians. Celtic music is literally in our bones at the SSO!
The Mullingar Session Players will be set up for you to join in song, dance, and foot-tapping fun - or to just listen at the Hall of Origins in the Horticulture Pavilion at Lansdowne Park from 2:00 to 5:00 pm. We are looking forward to seeing you there!
Authored by Ron Roach
Director of Communications and Kilt Skate