Great Canadian Kilt Skate 2026
By Don Cummer and Andy MacCulloch
The unseasonably warm temperatures alas forced the cancellation of Calgary’s event. Fredericton, Halifax and Orillia kilt skaters laced up and went ahead despite severely cold weather. Winnipeg, Moncton, Ottawa and Concord NH events, meanwhile, enjoyed goldilocks weather – not too hot, not too cold. Halifax skaters gritted their teeth and followed their motto: “stop thinking about it and do it”, while Moncton organizers let us know “We are a small but stubborn bunch! We love seeing the reports from other cities.”
Winnipeg contributed this poem:
For only the Peg, wi’ a straight frozen face,
Could call this a holiday treat;
An’ only the Scots would look winter square on
An’ say: “Aye—let’s dae this on skates.”
Fergus, Montreal, Glengarry South, Antigonish and Toronto avoided the vagaries of winter weather by holding indoor events, allowing better planning and wider participation. Indoors or outdoors, many of the events augmented their programs with pipers, other musicians and Highland dancers.
The 2026 kilt skate season saw the return of the “twinning” of Renfrewshire, Scotland, and Renfrew, Ontario. Scotland set the stage (or flooded the rink, if you prefer) for the International Kilt Skate Weekend, which corresponded with a hockey match between the hometown Glasgow Clan and their rivals, the Fyfe Flyers. Renfrewshire’s Lord Provost, Lorraine Cameron, dropped the opening puck and gave a shout out to Canada. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Renfrew, Ontario, also had a great kilt skate to celebrate their relationship with Scotland.
In Scotland, a public skate preceded the hockey game. Skaters wearing a kilt could skate for free; those wearing tartan could take advantage of a discounted price. The appeal to Scottish frugality led to one of the best-attended kilt skates in recent years!
Whether big or small, indoors, or outdoors, in Canada, Scotland or the USA -- it is wonderful to get together in the depth of winter to celebrate the Scottish heritage we share in common.
Congratulations to everybody for a great year. Please send us photos, videos and stories, media clips and even poems so we can share them to Kilt Skate.
We will deliberate and announce the always-difficult-to-choose Kilt Skate Capital soon!
