Celebrating Scottish heritage isn’t just about eating haggis.
Watch the raw power of a caber toss or heavy hammer throw, be entranced by the flourish of Highland dancers or don your kilt for the fourth annual Scots on the Run to raise funds for cancer research – all happening Sept. 5 at the Springbank Park for All Seasons.
The day kicks off at 8:30 a.m. with dancing, drumming and solo piping competitions. At 9 a.m. the heavy events commence, including competitions such as the stone, hammers, weight-over bar and the caber toss. People can see participants from across Canada as well as a few from the U.S.
At 1:30 p.m. the opening ceremonies begin with drum major and pipe band competitions to follow throughout the day. The games will close at 5 p.m. with a performance from the massed band and silent auction prizes awarded.
For those with wee-little lads and lasses, a family-friendly tent will be set up, with alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages, traditional Scottish food and entertainment.
Two charity football or ‘soccer’ matches will take place to raise food donations for the Calgary Interfaith Food Bank. The first one, Scotland versus England, will begin at 9 a.m. Scots on the Run will also start at 9 a.m.
Robert Henderson, president of Calgary’s St. Andrew-Caledonian Society, will be this year’s chieftain.
There will be free busing from the LRT 69th St. SW Station from downtown Calgary to the park as well as free parking. There is no street parking around the park; parking tickets have been handed out in past years.
The Calgary Highland Games turns 102 this year. The first games were held at Calgary’s Victoria Park in 1913.
For more information, such as ticket prices, visit calgaryhighlandgames.org/ or call 403-971-5714.
