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8th Annual Great Canadian Kilt Skate™
Join us for our 8th year of celebrating Scottish heritage across Canada in a unique way: by taking to the ice in kilts! This year we return to community celebrations in addition to the Home Edition. See details on how to participate in this national phenomenon and Home Edition below.
Since 2015, the Scottish Society of Ottawa has helped Canadian cities celebrate Scottish heritage in a way that is uniquely Scottish, and undeniably Canadian. We take to the ice in kilts! This year, some 14 communities across Canada will join in the Great Canadian Kilt Skate.
Contact our National Kilt Skate Director, Don Cummer for additional information and details on how to get involved at kiltskate@ottscot.ca.
The Home Edition Returns in 2022!
December 31, 2021 - February 28, 2022
You don’t have to join an organized community event to be a kilt skater. In 2021, when the COVID protocols prohibited large gatherings, we introduced the Home Edition where individuals, families and small groups sent us photos of their own, socially-distanced kilt skate. Thank you to the hundreds of skaters who took to the ice and used their creativity skating on ponds, community rinks, lakes, canals, creeks and even frozen roads. Last year, we saw first time participation from new areas in Canada including Orillia, Mauricie, Victoria Harbour and Regina to mention a few. The Home Edition will remain a feature of the Great Canadian Kilt Skate for years to come.
So come on, CANADA! It’s time to #TartanUp for the 2022 kilt skate season!
POST YOUR PHOTOS TO YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS USING
#kiltskate2022 #OttScot #TartanUp
AND SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOS AND VIDEOS BY EMAIL (LINK ON BUTTON BELOW).
Get active, celebrate your Scottish heritage in kilts and tartans, and join the fun!
Participating communities
CANADA: This year’s participating communities in Canada include (from east to west of Canada):
Halifax, NS; Glenaladale, PEI; Moncton, NB; Montreal, QC; South Glengarry, ON; Ottawa, ON; Toronto, ON; Fergus, ON; Midland, ON; Winnipeg, MB; Saskatoon, SK; and Calgary, AB. See information on dates and locations under Events.
In recent years, the kilt skate phenomenon has moved beyond Canada’s borders including New York City and Dublin! New Hampshire has just joined with a kilt skate scheduled on Sunday, February 6, 2022, 2-4 PM at the skating pond at White Park in Concord, NH (1 White Street, Concord NH 03301). A “snow date” is set for February 20, 2022.
GREAT CANADIAN Kilt Skate Capital of Canada
Who will be the 2022 Great Canadian Kilt Skate™ capital of Canada?
Individuals and families across Canada are encouraged to join us again in January 2022. We’re looking forward to this year’s kilt skate season and determining who will be proclaimed the 2022 Great Canadian Kilt Skate Capital of Canada! The winning city is determined by the number of participants and the number of submitted photos and videos, media pick up, and general promotion.
Congratulations to the 2021 Kilt Skate Capital of Canada: Winnipeg!
Special thanks and congratulations to the St. Andrew’s Society of Winnipeg for earning the title of the Kilt Skate Capital of Canada for 2021! Winnipegers sent us the most photos and videos. The St. Andrew’s Society reported 55 to 60 participants, with 15 to 20 who had never kilt skated before. In the local media, Cathy Laver-Wright, Winnipeg’s 2021 event organizer, was an excellent ambassador for the Great Canadian Kilt Skate. She was interviewed by the Winnipeg Free Press and by Nadia Kidwai on CBC Radio. On Robbie Burns Day, Cathy was interviewed by CTV Television under the title “How You can help Winnipeg become Canada’s Kilt Skate Capital.” Well done Cathy!
#ScotlandIsNow #kiltskate2022 #OttScot #tartanup
OttScot Festival 2021-22 sponsors and partners
The Great Canadian Kilt Skate is part of the Scottish Society of Ottawa’s OttScot Festival. This two-month-long celebration is kicked-off with St. Andrew’s Day Celebrations, and features Hogman-eh!, the Great Canadian Kilt Skate, our Robbie Burns Supper & Ceilidh and a number of community organization partnership events. Please visit our SSO Events tab for full details on our premier events.
