Great Canadian Kilt Skate 2024 Round up

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. Don’t forget the GCKS season is short, really just 5-6 weekends. Ten communities host kilt skates this year. They were all unique and wonderful events. It is always great to see all the smiling faces!

Week one kicked off kilt skate season late January in Montreal, Quebec. Montreal was an original GCKS city and no stranger to inclement weather. They now hold their skates at the iconic Verdun Arena. There was a great turnout with lots of Scottish flags, kilts, and a piper and highland dancers at centre ice. Their blue and white kilt skate cupcakes are legendary.

Week two saw a return to mid town Toronto, Ontario after a hiatus from the skates at Nathan Phillips Square, City Hall. The venue was the so cool Evergreen Brickworks. This rink has a leafy ambiance, and your favourite latte is available nearby. It was a fantastic and fun inaugural skate. I hope kilt up and help next year.

Calgary, Alberta held their kilt skate week three as part of Chinook Blast. It is the most urban of settings with the Calgary skyline and tower as a backdrop. There were highland dancers, live music and other fun. The 4C sunny weather helped too. Was it a chinook? Week three and four saw kilt skates in the kilt skate heartland Ottawa Valley. SSO Director Whitney Brooks launched the first ever GCKS at Rankin Rec Centre in Pembroke. She was assisted by the SSO, local radio, the mayor and pipers. Her idea to fundraise for a charity, Wounded Warriors Canada is one we could all strive to emulate in future.

The Scottish Society of Ottawa itself hosted their tenth GCKS at Lansdowne Park. It was kicked off by Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and John Devine Head of the Scottish Government in Canada. Ottawa hosted the founding kilt skate event and as always the pipers, hot chocolate and goodies made it a great time.

Down the valley the South Glengarry kilt skate was hosted in Char-Lan Rec Centre. This skate is always entertaining with contributions by pipers, fiddlers and highland dancers from the nearby Glengarry Highland Games. The deputy mayor, MP and MPP kindly cut the cake. A fun day for all.

Antigonish, Nova Scotia had their first kilt skate last year after having a Highland Games for 158 years! They are already good at kilt skates and hosted another pleasing one this year. The event included the Antigonish Highland Dancers, Clan Thompson bagpipers and Celtic music. Even the Inferno and Whitecaps hockey teams showed up for a wee skate. The good old Antigonish Arena was rocking.

Down the road in Moncton, New Brunswick a GCKS was held as part of Monton Polarfest out on the scenic Muskrat Skating Trail. It’s a testimony to how wonderful it is to have an outdoor skate in the beauty of nature.

The last weekend was February 25. A wonderful kilt skate was held In Fergus, Ontario another proud highland games community: The rink was packed with kilted and tartaned skaters, many flags and the kids got Scottish tattoos (not real ones). There were pipers, highland dancers and the Celtic band Crowded Table was playing in the home teams players bench. A well-done event enjoyed by all.

Even the most experienced Kilt Skate Committees met challenges. Who would believe that there was thin ice on the Riley Duck Pond in Winnipeg, Manitoba in late February. Faced with cancellation Winnipeg postponed the skate and voila a cold snap and a kilt skate! Eveyln and Pam breathed a big sigh of relief. They had a great skate with pipers, highland dancers and music; all the things that made them the GCKS Capital last year.

Brampton and Russell, ON, Quebec City, QC and Vancouver BC, sat out this season but should be back next year. In Concord, New Hampshire temperatures hit 60F and the ice was a pond after two wonderful kilt skates. Terri Wiltshire said “everybody was disappointed but we will look for indoor ice next year” Orillia, ON was set to have its first kilt skate but no ice on Lake Couchiching.

Sean O’Neil lamented a lost sledding and kilt skate season. “The weather is just terrible, but we’ll try again next year”.

Without question a major headline of this years Great Canadian Kilt Skate season has been the weather. It is fitting these are some of the same challenges our Scottish ancestors faced in years gone by. It is a testament to our community’s tenacity and creativity that we have successful and fun kilt skates every year. I’m already looking forward to next year.

Stay tuned for the announcement of the Great Canadian Kilt Skate Capital just after Tartan Day amid April.

Sláinte

Andy MacCulloch

Director of Great Canadian Kilt Skate

Scottish Society of Ottawa