The Great Canadian Kilt Skate 2024 Capital is…
The Scottish Society of Ottawa (SSO) would like to congratulate everybody on another Great Canadian Kilt Skate (GCKS) season. It was a good but challenging season. See the GCKS round up on Ottscot.ca and blogs on Kiltskate.com for more details.
Whether it was one of the original four GCKS of Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Montreal or newcomers like Pembroke or the return of Toronto the events were unique and diverse and unmistakably fun. So this year as always it was difficult to choose a winner. With an honorable mention to Montreal this years Great Canadian Kilt Skate Capital is Fergus, Ontario. Congratulations.
Like several other Great Canadian Kilt skates the event was supported by the leveraged renowned Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games (FSF) held in August every summer. https://fergusscottishfestival.com. The community came out in force with about 200 skaters at the Wellington Sports Complex, and at least half of them in Kilts or Tartan. They were entertained.
Elizabeth Bender, the Fergus Scottish Festival’s Executive Director reports, “We had a jam-packed schedule for the hour-and-a-half event. First, as people arrived, we had the Blue Bonnet Lassies School of Highland Dance perform in the arena lobby as people arrived. Then, we had the Fergus Pipe Band serenade everyone as they laced up their skates and took to the ice.”
A wonderful local band, Crowded Table created a Ceilidh in the arena throughout the kilt skate playing in the Home players bench. The deftly favoured the home side playing Celtic favourites. Everyone skated around waving the Saltire, Lion Rampant and Canadian flags and having fun! Kids and maybe even a few adults with temporary tattoos courtesy of the FSF.
As the skate came to a close the Fergus Pipe Band piped every off. They capped the day off with delicious shortbread from Sheena's Scottish Shortbread, lots of hot chocolate, and a draw to win weekend passes to the Fergus Scottish Festival & Highland Games in August!
The people in our group photo are the wonderful volunteer crew who helped make the whole thing happen! Setup, flag-bearers, hot chocolate & cookies crew, and takedown. We have an amazing team.
Thank again for your participation and we look forward to lacing em up again next year. Have a great summer.
Sláinte
Andy MacCulloch
Director of Great Canadian Kilt Skate
Scottish Society of Ottawa