Glengarry Highland Games This Weekend
Candy Pollard

The Glengarry Highland Games Brings the World’s Best to Maxville

Where else can one travel this summer in under an hour and find a huge entertainment venue that provides music and athletic competitions and fine shopping all in one site. All at the same time, you can connect with old friends and new, be thrilled by the colourful highland dancers and pipers, and hear some of the best celtic music around.

Great Celtic Music Makes for Great Entertainment

Along with Glengarry’s finest entertainers such as Gerry O’Neill, Hadrian’s Wall, the Brigadoons and the Two Paddys, this year’s Glengarry Highland Games welcomes Scocha, a dynamic celtic band from Scotland that will be making its first appearance in Canada at the Friday Night Concert and Tattoo on August 1st. Foot stamping, sing-along, rousing, emotional, heart pounding, a Scocha show has created many fans around the world. Scocha’s music crosses all borders with tight vocal harmonies, guitars, bass, bagpipes, bodhrans, bouzoukis, and much more. Scocha will also be performing in the Metcalfe Centre on Saturday, August 2nd.

Joining Scocha at the Friday Night Concert will be fiddling sensation Troy MacGillivray from Nova Scotia. Winner of the 2008 East Coast Music Association Album of the Year, Troy displays his mastery of fiddle and piano in an energetic performance. Entertaining from a young age, MacGillivray captivates audiences world-wide with his unique fiddle stylings and inspiring piano arrangements. Troy will also be conducting the Fiddlers’ Workshop at 10 am on Saturday, August 2nd .

Dancing Attracts A Lot of Attention

Highland dancing is always a highlight of any visit to the Games. This year’s competitions will be no exception with over 200 dancers traveling from across North America to vie for one of the many trophies up for the taking. The dance competition is so popular that a group of fifteen dancers are traveling all the way from Texas to be part of this event. The competitions run all day Friday starting at 8:30 am and again on Saturday at 8:00 am. Friday’s competitions are in the tents while Saturday’s take place on the infield in front of the grandstands.

Heavyweights Events Add Thrills and Excitement

Another huge hit at the Games are the heavyweight events. On Friday, the Amateurs start off the day at 8:00 am followed by the very popular Women’s events beginning at 11 am. Women’s champion Josee Morneau from Manitoba will be back this year to defend her title. Many will also recognize Laura Reusser formerly of Martintown and now living in Bow Island, Alberta. Lisa MacDonald and Kristy Kennedy from Alexandria will also be there to provide a local flavor to the events. A strong challenge to the title is expected by some of this year’s competitors. In the afternoon, the Masters of the heavyweights will delight the audience with their skills. Well-known competitors include our own Lee MacKinnon from Alexandria, George Chiappa from Ottawa and Harvey Barkauskas, London, Ontario.

On Saturday, the Professional heavyweights take to the infield for an afternoon of strength testing events including the hammer toss, the sheaf toss and the always popular caber toss. Sean Betz currently the World Heavyweight Champion and the winner of the last year’s Open Professional events at the Games travels from Omaha, Nebraska to take on a strong field of contenders. Dirk Bishop from Perth-Andover, New Brunswick, a three time Masters World Champion will also be here along with Greg Hadley from Antigonish, Nova Scotia, a former North American Amateur Champion. Many of these athletes have achieved "#1" rankings in numerous prestigious competitions around the world and will provide an excellent competition for all to view.

David Webster, the Secretary General of the World Federation of Heavyweight Events, will be back again this year as Master of Ceremonies and colour commentator. David’s expertise in heavyweight and strongman events is much sought after and he officiates at hundreds of events all over the world. The Games is pleased to welcome David back to Maxville.

Take the Train To The Games

The last train to the Games was in 1989. This year, thanks to in a partnership with the North Glengarry Prescott & Russell Transport Board and Via Rail, travelers can again take the train to the Games. Games cars will be attached to the morning Montreal and Ottawa trains with a special stop in Maxville. The evening trains will return people back home. For more information, go to www.glengarryhighlandgames.com and click on The Train.

For information on other news and upcoming events in Cornwall and Seaway Valley, click on the following links:

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