Kilt Skate Season Heads Toward Grand Finale

This year’s kilt skate season has been like none other. For one thing, the phenomenon of taking to the ice in kilts and tartans has spread to more communities than ever before – 13 in Canada, two in the USA.  

This is partly the result of the Covid restrictions from last year. When the public health protocols prevented community gatherings, the Great Canadian Kilt Skate responded with the “Home Edition.” Kilt skaters were invited to send us photos and videos from their community rinks, their backyard ice, the pond down the road, the Rideau Canal Skateway – anywhere that it was safe and healthy to skate.

The response was impressive!  Ottscot.ca created a gallery that included input from communities large and small across the country. Some of those communities approached the Scottish Society of Ottawa for help and advice in organizing their own community events or promoting Home Edition skating in their area. This year, for example, for the first time, kilt skate partners include communities in the Maritime Provinces.

The “Home Edition” begins on Hogmanay and continues to February 28. That means that we’re now heading into the final stretch for the 2022 Great Canadian Kilt Skate Capital title. Saskatoon held its community kilt skate last week. Winnipeg will host its kilt skate on Family Day Monday. Heavy rains this weekend forced the rescheduling of the kilt skate in Glenaladale PEI to the following weekend. And that same weekend – the last in February – two neighbouring communities have community events planned, and both are strong contenders for the 2022 Great Canadian Kilt Skate Capital title.

Both of these communities have many members of the Scottish Society of Ottawa, and we hope these members will enjoy the last days of skating season to get out on the ice. 

On Saturday, February 26, from 1-2:30 pm at Lansdowne Park, the Scottish Society of Ottawa will host its 8th annual Great Canadian Kilt Skate. Ottawa originated the kilt skate concept in 2015, and with 200 kilted skaters on the Rideau Canal one Winterlude morning that year, it was the inaugural kilt skate capital. This year, skaters in the Ottawa area have been enthusiastic about posting Home Edition photos.  To ensure that your photos are counted for Ottawa, tag them:  #kiltskate2022OTT.

The next day, Sunday, February 27, the Township of South Glengarry hosts another of its combination kilt skate and winter carnival – a festive event that earned South Glengarry the Kilt Skate Capital title in 2020. The skating takes place between noon and 1:30 at the Char-Lan Recreation Centre in Williamstown. Musical entertainment is provided upstairs. The outdoor winter carnival runs from 1:00-2:30pm and includes wagon rides, a toboggan hill, marshmallows and hot chocolate. Those wishing their Home Edition photos to count towards South Glengarry’s score should tag them:  #kiltskate2022GLEN.

There’s a friendly rivalry between the two kilt skate communities. Over the years, many skaters have attended kilt skates in both Ottawa and “the Glengarries.” (North and South Glengarry alternate each year in hosting a Great Canadian Kilt Skate.)  

The Ottawa Valley is the birthplace of kilt skating, and continues to be its heartland. This year is no different. There have been discussions about hosting a community event in Russell. Almonte always has a strong kilt skate presence. And once again this year, SSO’s Volunteer Director, Dave Johnston, has heroically raised the hockey-stick-saltire and bared his knees to the elements at Big Rideau Lake and elsewhere.   

In a few weeks we’ll know whether a Valley community emerges as the 2022 Kilt Skate Capital of Canada. And we hope all members of the Scottish Society of Ottawa will get out on the ice – whether in a kilt or anything tartan – and send pictures to support their community’s chances to be named the Kilt Skate Capital of Canada. For more information visit ottscot.ca/kiltskate.