The 75th edition of the Glengarry Highland Games begins this Friday, August 2 with two full days of piping and drumming, highland dancing, Scottish fiddle and the best in Celtic entertainment.

On Friday, Scotland’s National Chef and the 2016 MasterChef Professional Champion, Gary MacLean, will treat the audience to two cooking demonstrations where he will be dishing out some of his culinary secrets.  

Later in the evening, the Friday Night Tattoo will be even more spectacular with Canada’s Celtic ambassadors the Barra MacNeils, a salute to the RCAF’s 100th Anniversary with the RCAF Pipes and Drums and a first at the Games, a show where one hundred drones will perform in tightly choreographed formations creating complex geometric shapes and images that will dance against the night sky.

Saturday is a huge day at the Games with 50 pipe bands appearing including bands from San Francisco and yes, from France. This year, Saturday will be even bigger with The Scottish Heavy Events World Championships on Saturday with ten invited professionals from around the world including Canada, USA, Belgium, the Czech Republic and of course, Scotland.

The Games will also be welcoming back those lifelong fans who attended the first Games in 1948 and will salute them at the Games Official Ceremonies on Saturday. Also being saluted that day is this year’s Guest of Honour, Reg Gamble. Reg’s dad, Doc Gamble, was a co-founder of the Games and Reg recently stepped down as Games MC after 30 years of welcoming visitors to the Games. This year’s Games President is Don Gamble, Reg’s nephew and grandson of Doc Gamble.

To learn more about the history of the Scots in Glengarry, in Canada and abroad, stop by the Clan Buildings and visit over 30 clan societies and heritage organizations and their exhibits. Then catch the Clan Parade on the infield at 12:00 PM on Saturday, just before the Official Ceremonies.

There is so much more to see and do at the Games – the Tug of War with Canadian Highland military regiments, the gathering of the Clans and their parade, harp workshops, the kilt run, whisky tasting, a British Antique Car display and rugby plus much more. There’s lots to do for the little ones as well with a large Wee Bairns area with face painting, a petting zoo, pony rides and a kid sized race car track.

The Games site at the Maxville Fairgrounds is fully accessible. No pets are permitted on the grounds except service animals. Daily admission at the gate is $30 and children under 12 are free. Full details can be found at glengarryhighlandgames.com with updates on Facebook, GlengarryHighlandGames, and Instagram, #theGHG.

Ceud Mile Failte! See you at the Games.