Media release

February 21, 2024

Juno award winner Ashley MacIsaac to headline ScotFestBC

BC’s Celtic music & cultural festival June 14 & 15 at Coquitlam’s Town Centre Park

Coquitlam, BC – Juno award winner Ashley MacIsaac will headline ScotFestBC: The 92^nd British Columbia Highland Games in Coquitlam this year.

 The east-coast fiddling phenomenon will present two performances and a fiddling workshop as part of the British Columbia Highland Games. And for the first time, ScotFestBC will host a Royal Scottish Pipe Band Assn. world drumming qualifier – The Pacific Rim Drumming Championship.

Other performers include The Whiskey Dicks and Victoria’s Hounds of Cuchulain. The 2023 world champion SFU Pipe Band Drum Corp and Grade III second-place world champion RMM Pipe Band will both appear in concert after opening ceremonies.

The ScotFestBC Whisky School kicks off Friday night with the popular Macaloney Whisky & Oysters program and several unique whisky events on Saturday.

Saturday morning is solo piping and drumming competitions, followed by pipe bands in the afternoon. More than 15 bands from around the Pacific Northwest, including the SFU Pipe Band, will attend one of the largest Games on the Canadian west coast.

The REMAX heavy events will again see athletes compete to see who can throw a caber the farthest – among other traditional Scottish heavy sports. The Heritage Stage is back due to popular demand, with world music and dance from Mexico, Ukraine, Scotland, Metis and a Scottish/Japanese fusion performance. All hosted by DJ Paul Manocha.

The Vancouver Championship Highland Dance competition will run on the Main and Heritage stages. More than 20 food trucks will offer cuisine from Scotland and around the world. There will be children’s activities, a Gaelic milling frolic, and cultural workshops through the day, including a fiddle workshop with Ashley MacIsaac.

“ScotFestBC is your one opportunity this year to see the big pipe bands performing just across the field from Ashley MacIsaac and down the path from some of BC’s strongest folks tossing cabers,” says Mike Chisholm, ScotFestBC executive director. “Come learn about whisky from people who really know, take in Ashley MacIsaac and some great local Celtic bands in our Big Tent.”

Tickets are on sale now – www.scotfestbc.com

The 2024 ScotFestBC program will include:

Friday evening (3 – 10 pm) 

• Opening ceremony – 6:00 pm. The 78 Fraser Highlanders are again joining us to kick off ScotFest with a cannon blast.
• Pipes in the Park – pipes on the main stage with RMM Pipe Band and the SFU Pipe Band Drum Corps.
• Live Celtic music in the Big Tent through 10:00 pm with beverage service
• Macaloney’s Whisky & Oysters – After the opening ceremony in the Whisky School tent

Saturday (7 am – 10 pm)

• The 92^nd British Columbia Highland Games – piping, drumming, Highland dancing, and Scottish heavy events competitions. Massed pipe bands, cultural workshops, Whisky School, world music on the Heritage Stage, children’s activities, more than 20 food trucks, numerous vendors.
• Ashley MacIsaac – 2:45 pm fiddle workshop and 7:30 pm on the Big Tent stage.
• Pacific Rim Drumming Championship – 10:30 am on the Big Tent stage.
• British Columbia Pipers’ Association Pipe Band Championships – 1:30 – 5:00 pm on The Meadow.
• Massed Band (all pipe bands at the festival playing and marching in order) – 5:00 pm on the Lew Ross Field
• REMAX Scottish Heavy Events – 8:30 am – 4:30 pm on the Lew Ross Field
• The Vancouver Championship with the BC Highland Dance Association – all day on the Main Stage and Saturday morning on the Heritage Stage
• Whisky School classes – starting 1:00 pm in the Whisky School tent, followed by Macaloney Whisky & Oysters.
• Cultural Workshops – starting 11:00 am in the workshop tent.
• World music – on the Heritage Stage 12:30 – 5:00 pm
• More than 25 food trucks and vendors – all day around throughout the park.