Moncton, New Brunswick, had its plans for a community kilt skate last year, but the third wave of the COVID 19 pandemic put those plans on ice — or rather took them off ice. This year, Moncton made the Great Canadian Kilt Skate part of the celebrations of its first-ever Polar Fest/Festipolaire — a winter festival at Centennial Park during the Family Day weekend. Kilt skaters were treated to a gorgeous winter day on the new (created last year) Muskrat Skating Trail.

The Greater Moncton Scottish Association sent out the call for Moncton Scots to join the fun, and set up a rendezvous point where they could take pictures to mark the occasion. And many did stop by.

Of course, the enticement of hot chocolate always helps.

One of the features of PolarFest/Festipolaire was the music playing over the sound system while skaters explored the Muskat Skating Trail. For an hour on Sunday, DJ Bones played Scottish music to mark Moncton’s first Great Canadian Kilt Skate. “Hundreds of people heard about the Kilt Skate and about the Greater Moncton Scottish Association,” reports Jenna Morton. “It helps when there’s so many family activities: free hot chocolate, sliding on the hills, and of course skating on Muskrat Trail.”

“We had a handful of kilted skaters,” says Jenna, “and a few more gift tartan swatches -- a great afternoon connecting with friends new & old!”

It was delayed by a year, but Moncton did get its first Great Canadian Kilt Skate at last. The exposure it received at PolarFest/Festipolaire will attract new interest for next year and beyond. This could be the launch of a new annual tradition for Scots and Scots-at-heart in Moncton and across New Brunswick.