On a sunny but cold afternoon, Scots and Scots-at-heart from near and far gathered at the skating pond at White Park in Concord, NH. The event was organized and hosted by the New Hampshire Scots, who were pleased with the turnout and impressed that some skaters had driven more than an hour to take part in the first-ever kilt skate in their state — the first-ever in New England..
Read MoreFor the second year in a row, the Home Edition of the Great Canadian Kilt Skate is proving very popular. It was initiated in response to the Covid social distancing protocols, but in recent weeks, as public health officials relax some of the measures, two cities that had originally cancelled their community events in favour of Home Edition have announced new dates for their community events.
Read MoreThere have been many elements that have led to a particular community being named the Kilt Skate Capital. But since the pandemic began, one of the most important has been the number of photos and video submission to the SSO’s gallery. It doesn’t matter whether your community’s event has been cancelled due to COVID. It doesn’t even matter whether your community has had plans for a kilt skate at all. Send us your pictures and videos!
Read MoreA heavy dump of snow and a severe cold front has hit most of Canada. But that hasn’t stopped people from donning their kilts and strapping on the skates. Note that the Scots are a pragmatic people, innovative and adaptable. Don’t let the threat of frostbite interfere with winter fun: dress accordingly! If you need to, wear your longjohns or your leggings under your kilt.
Read MoreBut as Rabbie Burns might have said, the best laid plans of mice and kilt skaters gang aft agley. The rise of the Omicron virus has forced many organizations to reconsider whether to bring people together. Some organizers have opted to promote the “Home Edition” of the Great Canadian Kilt Skate. It was launched last year in response to the pandemic, but it’s now one of those pandemic innovations that was such a good idea that now it’s here to stay.
Read MoreThis winter, a record 12 cities across Canada have expressed their intention to host a community kilt skate this winter. The newest additions to the national kilt skate family include Halifax NS, Moncton NB, and Midland ON. And the Home Edition? It proved so popular that it will remain a feature of the Great Canadian Kilt Skate for years to come. Skaters are encouraged to send their photos to: #ottscot #kiltskate2022OTT #ScotlandIsNow and #TartanUp
Read MorePhotos from kilt skaters across the country were posted on the Gallery at ottscot.ca. And for the first time, the Scottish Society of Ottawa (SSO), which organizes the Great Canadian Kilt Skate nationally, undertook a survey of kilt skate participants.
Read More“This week, a signal honour was bestowed upon the City of Winnipeg that embodies so much of what is great about our capital city: volunteerism, pride in cultural heritage and rivers to skate away on. On Monday, March 21, Winnipeg, Manitoba, was declared the Kilt Skate Capital of Canada by the Scottish Society of Ottawa, beating out Moncton, New Brunswick; Mauricie, Quebec; Regina, Saskatchewan; Almonte, Portland; Victoria Harbour and Lake Dalrymple, Ontario; and Calgary, Alberta…”
Read MoreTo sum up: many former kilt skate capitals and many new communities responded to the challenge of the Great Canadian Kilt Skate — Home Edition. But there was one city that was a standout this year. For one thing, it sent us more pictures than any other community.
Read MoreBorn out of necessity when the pandemic prevented community events, the Home Edition of the Great Canadian Kilt Skate has proved to be a tremendous success — one that will likely carry on into future kilt skate seasons. By encouraging people to skate on their own whenever and wherever they safely could, we .saw many come out to kilt skate for the first time — including Jim Hunter. Not only is Jim our first kilt skater from Regina, SK, he likely holds this year’s and perhaps the all-time record for the most senior kilt skater.
Read MoreKilt skating is taking off in New York City — even during the pandemic. After all, this year’s kilt skate motto is: “our faces may be masked, but our knees will be bare!” The third annual Tartan Kilt Skate NYC was held once again in the heart of Manhattan, presented by American Scottish Foundation in association with Bryant Park.
Read MoreWhat began as an idea by the Scottish Society of Ottawa (SSO) to have the 2021 kilt skate take place as a safe, socially-distanced “Home Edition” series of mini-events has morphed into a pan-Canadian party that will take place this Saturday across six time zones. February 27 will see an as-yet undetermined number of skaters across Canada join together in the first-ever Great Canadian Kilt Skate Zoom & Facebook Party.
Read MoreIf the Home Edition competition for the Kilt Skate Capital of Canada were a horse race, the pack is rounding the bend and heading into the homestretch. One horse that has run off the pace is now making a determined bid on the outside and may overtake the leader. With one week left in the Great Canadian Kilt Skate, can Toronto’s plans to host a Zoom and Facebook kiltskate party win the roses? The early signs are that it can!
Read MoreThe pandemic has made us innovate. When public health protocols made community events problematic, we adapted. Everyone was encouraged to kilt skate in a safe, outdoor, socially distanced manner in what we dubbed the Great Canadian Kilt Skate — Home Edition. Now in the GreateriToronto Area (GTA), they’re taking innovation to the next step: the Great Canadian Kilt Skate Zoom & Facebook Party. Join it from 11 a.m. until noon on Saturday February 27.
Read MoreIt’s on! A Kilt Skating community event has been scheduled in the heart of Manhattan for Thursday, February 25 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. This is the third annual Tartan Kilt Skate NYC, hosted by the American Scottish Foundation in partnership with with Bryant Park.
Read MoreThis year, we’ve invited everyone to send us photos and videos from their own socially-distanced kilt skate. It’s part of the Great Canadian Kilt Skate — Home Edition. Over the past weeks we’ve received terrific photos and videos. We’ve highlighted them over the weekly blogs.
Read MoreA polar vortex may have descended on much of Canada bringing subarctic temperatures, but the days are getting longer and brighter. And no matter what the thermometer says, Canadians are getting out onto the ice in our kilts and tartans. For the MacPherson family in Ottawa, kilts add a new twist to the national game.
Read MoreA cold front hit much of Canada this past week and it may have discouraged some kilt skaters. But the Scots have a word for obstinate determination to do something that seems totally irrational to everyone else. That word is THRAWN. And “thrawn” may be the word that best describes those determined to celebrate Scottish culture with bare knees and ice. And pink skates no less!
Read MoreOn Robbie Burns Day day itself, Cathy was interviewed by CTV Television under the title “How You can help Winnipeg become Canada’s Kilt Skate Capital.” Cathy again emphasizes that you don’t have to be Scottish to participate in the kilt skate. “You only have to have Scottish spirit, which all of us have inside us.” She was also asked whether it’s ok to wear longjohns under the kilt. Some may dispute her answer, but let me point out that Cathy has been skating daily throughout a very cold Winnipeg winter. And that “Scottish spirit”” she talks about includes a healthy dose of pragmatism.
Read MoreThe third week of the Great Canadian Kilt Skate finds more Canadians celebrating Scottish heritage on the nearby outdoor ice where they can safely skate socially distanced. For the third week in a row (and her 18th skate so far this winter), the ever-enthusiastic Cathy Laver-Wright was flying the flags proudly on Winnipeg’s Centennial River Trail.
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across canada, communities host kilt skates to celebrate scotland’s contribution to our multicultural fabric.
