Highland games are events held in Scotland and countries with a Scottish diaspora to celebrate Scottish and Celtic culture. They include various athletic and sports competitions (caber toss, stone put, Scottish hammer throw, weight throw, weight for height, sheaf toss, etc.), piping and drumming competitions, live performances (bagpiping, drumming, fiddling, harpers’ circles, Celtic bands), Highland dancing, country dancing, food vendors offering traditional Scottish dishes, and other events and attractions.
The first Glengarry Highland Games were held in 1948. They were organized by a small group of local businessman who wanted to preserve the Scottish traditions and pass them down to the younger generations. Originally designed as a showcase of traditional Scottish heavy events, music and dance, the festival has become a meeting place for Scottish Canadians from Ontario and the United States. The inaugural event attracted about 10,000 people, while the present-day games have an attendance of over 50,000.
The Glengarry Highland Games include traditional Scottish heavy events, pipe and drum competitions, and Scottish Highland dance. Heavyweight events include stone, weight for distance, hammer, weight for height, sheaf, caber, and challenge caber. Athletes compete in several divisions such as Amateurs, Open Pros, Women and Masters. There’s also a popular team competition called the Highland Regiments Tug of War.
The Highland dance is a style of competitive solo dancing that originated in the Scottish Highlands. Historically, some forms of the Highland dance were performed by men on and over the weapons and armor of their slain enemies to celebrate their victory in the battle. Over the years, these ritualistic dances have transformed into a popular Highland games event. At the Glengarry Highland Games, the dances are performed mainly by young female competitors.
Another highlight of the Games is the pipe and drum competitions for solo pipers, solo drummers and bands. The festival hosts the North American Pipe Band Championships open to members of the Pipers and Pipe Band Society of Ontario or an officially recognized affiliated organization. The participants are judged on several criteria such as attack, tone/tuning, expression, pitch, execution, unison, and ensemble.
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