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It’s a cold snowy day in the middle of winter, not the
bright sunny afternoon you attend a Scottish Highland Game in southern
Ontario. The schedules and information about the Highland Games are not
fully available and posted on all the websites for all the events to be
held in the next few months. Pipe bands are holding regular practices,
dancers are attending classes and getting their outfits ready for
competition and Scottish clan representatives are planning their displays
for the Avenue of Clans. The early posting of the schedule of the annual
Highland Games allows clan representative to plan which games they will be
able to attend in the months ahead.
Family history has become very popular over the last few
years and the interest has greatly increased with the assistance of the
internet. The Clan Societies were formed in the early 1990’s to bring
together people of Scottish heritage for social activities.
Most clans have a website that shows the history of the
clan, tartan, crest, original location in Scotland and membership
information. This information has been made accessible by Alastair
McIntyre and his website, Electricscotland.com With the
interest in clans and Scottish history, many people go to the Highland
Games looking to find their clan. The best place to successfully find
your clan is the Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games where over
fifty clan displays can be found in the Avenue of the Clans. Other
Highland Games also feature clan displays and offer helpful advice on
locating your clan. Clans are able to participate in the games by
contacting the individual games Clan organizer and registering your
clan. Registration usually starts late March or early April to allow
games officials to begin sending out notices and receive replies.
SAMPLE OF
SCHEDULE OF 2006 HIGHLAND GAMES IN ONTARIO
April
30 Toronto Police Service Tattoo Exhibition
Place, CNE
And
Pageant Toronto
May
16-17 Celtfest Callandar
Legion Branch 445,
Callandar
May
16-17 Celtic Arts Celebration
Waterfront, North Bay
June 1-4
Glasgow Kentucky Highland Games Glasgow, Kentucky
June
10 Georgetown Highland Games Georgetown
June
10-11 Hamilton International Tattoo Copps
Coliseum, Hamilton
June 19-10
Brockville Celtic Festival Brockville
June
24 Windsor Celtic Festival Civic
Terrace, Windsor
June
18-19 Loch Sloy Highland Games Fort Erie
June 24
Hamilton Highland Games Ancaster
Fairgrounds
June
23-24 Cobourg Highland Game Festival Donegan Park,
Cobourg
July
1 Zorra Caledonia Highland Games Community
Center, Embro
July
1 Kincardine Scottish Festival
Victoria Park, Kincardine
July
8 Tartan Sertoma Chatham-Kent Tecumseh
Park, Chatham
Supreme Highland Games
July
8 Haliburton Highland Games Head
Lake Park Haliburton
July
15 Cambridge Highland Games Cambridge
July
15 Orillia Scottish Festival
Orillia
July
22 Highlands of Durham: A Celtic
Uxbridge
Celebration
July
23-24 Kingston Heritage Tattoo
Kingston
Aug
4-5 Glengarry Highland Games Maxville
Aug
5-7 Celtic Roots Festival
Goderich
Aug
11-13 Fergus Highland Games Fergus
Aug
19 Sarnia Supreme Highland Games Sarnia
Aug
19 North Lanark Highland Games Almonte
Sept
9 Trenton Scottish/Irish Festival
Bayshore Park, Trenton
Sept
16 Owen Sound Celtic Festival Owen
Sound
Early
registration allows Clan Organizer at Games and Clan Representative make
commitments for the busy schedule
Sign at Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games showing all
participating clans in the Avenue of the Clans.
The main purpose of setting up a Clan display is to promote
the clans and make visitors aware clans are an important part of Scottish
history.
The early years of setting up a clan display are a learning
and challenging time. The display should include clan banner, pictures of
the clan chief, clan castle (if one is still owned by the clan in
Scotland), clan history books, sample of the clan tartan, clan member
wearing a kilt or other Scottish wear and other items to attract
visitors. Ask other members in your clan to donate or loan items for your
display. Items can be slowly added to your display over time. Other
items required are a portable gazebo which can be easily transported and
set up, folding tables and chairs. Some games such as Fergus will supply
the tent and table for a small fee.
Some of the items on display at the Clan Elliot tent
The Rules of Golf by John Rattray are on display at Clan
Rattray
The clans are invited to march in the opening ceremonies
parade at the games and allows people to recognize the clans for their
participation.
Shown waiting for the Opening Ceremonies parade to begin
are Clan Rattray, Clan Wallace and Clan Elliot.
Joan Arrand of Clan Rattray greeting Cathy and Bruce Elder of Clan
MacIntosh
Clan Elliot display at Chatham
Joan Arrand in Chatham promoting Clan Rattray
Alastair McIntyre visiting Dorothy Knight at Clan Wallace display in
Chatham
Visitors stroll down the Avenue of Clans in Fergus
John K. Campbell of Fergus in the Avenue of Clans
Clan members travel to the games over the summer months
and it is a very exciting time. Sometimes traveling might require
getting up at 4:00 am in the morning to arrive at a game for set up at
8:00 am and leaving the park late in the afternoon. It is amazing how
much minivans can carry and how quickly they can be unloaded and loaded in
a short time.
The planning and traveling to the games is worth the effort
to meet people at the displays and share Scottish heritage. The
friendships formed among the Avenue of the Clans last forever.
Carole Rattray Nickels
Clan Rattray
Note: You can see a photo shoot on
the
Fergus Highland Games, Ontario,
Canada, 2005 where you can see lots pictures of clan tents. |
