In a little more than a week, the streets of Maxville will be bumper-to-bumper as fans head to this year’s 70th edition of the Glengarry Highland Games. For two full days, August 4 th and 5 th , the sounds of pipes will fill the air as the annual celebration of all things Scottish takes place. One of the best-attended events at the Games is the Scottish Fiddle program, which promises an exciting schedule over the two days.

Glengarry Style Meets Cape Breton

When the Scots immigrated to Canada, they brought with them their traditions of language, dress, sport and music. Today in both Glengarry and Cape Breton, the traditions of these ancestors remain strong influences; one of the strongest being the fiddle. Over the years, fiddle playing in the two locations has evolved to its own unique style.

This year at the Games, the two styles come together for two days of learning and ceilidhs. The Cape Breton Fiddlers Association has been raising money all year playing concerts and holding raffles to allow thirty of its members to journey to Glengarry and celebrate the Games’ 70th and Canada’s 150th as the Scottish Fiddle special guests.

The Cape Breton Fiddlers will perform twice late Friday afternoon, first in the Metcalfe Centre at 4:10 pm, followed by an appearance in the Arena at 5:00 pm. The Glengarry Fiddlers will join them at 5:30 for the warm-up for the traditional Massed Fiddlers presentation on the infield stage at 6:30 pm. Saturday will be a busy day as well when they join other fiddle groups for a fiddle concert in the Arena from 1:30-5:00 pm. Join one of the performances in the air-conditioned venues and discover the magic of Cape Breton Fiddling.

Scottish Fiddle Workshop on Saturday is a Family Affair

Some of the best Cape Breton fiddlers have come to the Games over the years to share their unique style with local fiddlers at the Saturday morning Scottish Fiddle workshops.

This year’s workshop will be a little different: it will be a family affair, as father Doug Leahy conducts the workshop and also presents a mini concert with his family from 9:30 am until 11:30 am. Doug and his wife Jennifer have instilled a love of music in their children that shows in the high-energy and infectious performances for which they are known. Fiddlers will want to get there early to ensure that they have a place in the Arena Hall. Bring your own fiddle
and music stand and take part in this one-of- a-kind workshop.

Catch the Leahy family in the Friday Night Concert, the Saturday Fiddle Workshops or in the Metcalfe Centre on Saturday afternoon at 3 pm.

A Fiddle Ceilidh Celebrating The Games

Starting at 2 pm on Friday, August 4, the fiddling program kicks off with the Youth Fiddlers’ Showcase. The Arena Hall is filled to capacity as some of Glengarry’s upcoming fiddle stars show off their skills to the much appreciative audience. Make sure to get there early to ensure a spot in this ever popular event.

Later in the afternoon, the Cape Breton Fiddlers take to the stage at 5 pm, only to be joined at 5:30 by the Glengarry Massed Fiddlers. This Glengarry group of local fiddlers is made up of 50 to 80 musicians aged 11 to 80 who practice all year just for their performances at the Games. Both groups of fiddlers will combine for the Massed Fiddle on the infield stage at 6:30 pm, kicking off an evening of the finest entertainment in the area.

Saturday morning’s workshop and mini-concert with the Leahy family will be a new event, followed by the very popular Fiddler’s Ceilidh in the Arena Hall. This brings together not only the Cape Breton Fiddlers and the Glengarry Fiddlers, but many more group and individual performers including The MacLeod Fiddlers, Scotch River Fiddlers , Cassie and Kelsey McDonell and Bernard McDonell.

The young MacLeod Fiddlers, one of Glengarry’s favourite groups, will also have a full schedule at the Games starting on Thursday evening at the Tartan Ball, where they provide the pre-dinner music. Friday afternoon, they perform as part of the Youth Showcase and then Saturday join the Fiddle Ceilidh to round out a busy Games.

The Scottish Fiddle tradition is well and alive in Glengarry and the Games provides the venue to bring them all together for everyone’s viewing and listening pleasure.