The families came out in numbers for this year’s Great Canadian Kilt Skate at Winnipeg’s Seven Oaks Sports Plex. Lots of flags to wave.

And to wear…

The Scottish saltire was a fashion statement for many..

This young fellow attended his first kilt skate at the age of two weeks. He’s practicing now so that next year he’ll be able to carry one of the big flags in the opening procession.

And what a procession it was! And what a day!

Once again, a birthday cake was on hand. The phenomenon of kilt skating took hold across Canada in 2015 as a celebration of the bicentennial of Sir John A. Macdonald. Ever since, kilt skate day has the festive atmosphere of a birthday party.

This was the second year in which Winnipeg held its kilt skate indoors. This proved more comfortable and reliable in a city where, some years, skaters braved temperatures of 40-below and another year the skate had to be cancelled because warm weather made the outdoor ice unsafe.

Indoor events meant that skaters could eschew the need for warm clothing, and dress in whatever attire helped add to the festivities.

The end result was one of the best turnouts yet. Well done, St. Andrew’s Society of Winnipeg!