The 2023 British Columbia Highland Games

ScotFestBC – The British Columbia Highland Games is back on June 16, 17 & 18, 2023

Sharon Shannon

Join us for all the fun of a great west coast highland games, with 15 pipe bands, caber tossers, more than 100 pipers and drummers, dancing, singing, a whisky school, the SFU Pipe Band in-concert Friday night (Pipes in the Park) followed by irish great Sharon Shannon in the Big Tent on Friday evening  June 16.

Purchase your tickets in advance and then come to Town Centre Park for the fun. Take the Skytrain directly to the Games. There'll be activities for kids, food vendors (include veggie options), Scottish and other national foods, check out the British cars, listen to the performances on three stages including the Heritage Stage, or watch the REMAX Scottish heavy athletes throw big objects all over the Lew Ross Field. Hang on to your seats for the massed pipe bands flowing down onto the fields around 5:15, and then join the pipers & drummers for a ceilidh in the big tent afterwards with our headline act Sharon Shannon.

On Sunday, it's a World Music Festival with Main Stage host Gurdeep Pandher of the Yukon, and three other stages and performance areas, including international workshops open to everyone.  And Sunday is free!

There are activities for the bairns, èildears and everyone in between. All are welcome, and something for everyone.

So come for the pipes and bhangra dancing and stay for the haggis & bru. And maybe a pint or two with new and old friends.

 

 

 

The Games

Highland Games originated among the Scots’ Celtic ancestors and became a customary part of their life. Events such as tossing the caber and putting the stone, and competitions in playing bagpipes and Highland dancing form the core of the festivities.

Pipes, Drums & Bands

The Scottish pipe band, the most common form of pipe band, consists of a section of pipers, a section of side drummers known as a drum corps, several tenor drummers and a single bass drummer. Watch some of BC's best pipe & drum bands compete, along with solo pipers. Administered by the British Columbia Pipers’ Association.

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RE/MAX Heavy Events

Heavy Events are among the oldest contested sports in the world encompassing a series of nine feats of strength events. Many of the events are derived from the Scottish military weapons of war, while others came directly from every day life. Events include Stone Putt, Weights for Distance Throws, Hammer, Weight for Height/Weight over Bar, Sheaf Toss and Caber Toss.

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Highland Dance

Highland dance is a style of competitive solo dancing developed in the Scottish Highlands in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It is often performed to the accompaniment of Highland bagpipe music and is now seen at nearly every modern-day Highland games event.

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Open Pìobaireachd Competition

The highest level of piping competition, the Pìobaireachd competition takes place the night before the BC Highland Games officially opens. Some of the best pro players from the Pacific Northwest are competing in this classical form of highland bagpipe "big" music.

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The Festival

British Cars

Prefect, Thames, Anglia, Zephyr, Zodiak, Consul, and Cortina. If you know these are models of English Fords, you've come to the right place. Does the sighting of a Triumph Spitfire, Vitesse and Dolomite get your blood racing? Then jump in your pre-war M-Type MG and join us at Town Centre Park!

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Robert MacNeil receiving Chieftain of the Day Medal from Exec. Dir. Mike Chisholm, June 2022

 

Chieftain of the Day

Historically, a "games day" was held within each Scottish highland clan to establish the strongest and ablest man in strength, music and dance. The Chieftain, as head of the clan, held a position of honour at the gathering. In keeping with this tradition, highland games today invites a leader in the community to act as our "Chieftain" of the day.

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Children's Activities

Along with children's piping, drumming and dancing competitions, there's plenty of other fun activities for the kids and little ones. Activities included face painting, swing rides, Coquitlam Library, curling, possibly golf and even kids heavy events!

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Clans

The word 'clan' is derived from the Gaelic 'clann', meaning literally children. The Scottish clans system dates back to the 12th Century – originally extended networks of families with loyalties to the leader of the clan or ‘chieftain’. Each clan has its own tartan.

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Cultural Talks

The cultural workshop tent is located behind the main stage. Here you can find a series of interesting discussions about all things Scottish, including Language of the Gael, Bagpiping, Scots/Canadian history, cultural workshops and more. Workshops begin at 11am and run all day long. Everyone welcome to these free sessions.

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Dogs, Dogs & More Dogs!

Flash is a full-time working Border Collie. Flash and his owner will demonstrate the commands and moves used by the dog at work as they move ducks and sheep through a small course. As if that weren't enough, we have the Dandie Dinmont is the oldest Scottish terrier still in existence today, and of course the ever-popular Irish Wolfhounds.

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Entertainment

ScotFestBC offers a wide range of performers on our various stages throughout the park. From folk to Celtic to traditional dance, there's something for everyone.

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Children's Activities

Looking to keep the kids busy and active during the Games? We have a great children's program that changes up every year.  The Coquitlam Optimist Club assists us in running popular games and activities throughout the day, including face painting, curling, golf and other children's activities.

Massed Bands

Hold on to your seats for one of the most anticipated events of every highland games. Feel the thrill as the massed pipes and drums march onto the Meadow at Lafarge Lake. It will be a sight and sound you will not soon forget. From Scotland the Brave, to Amazing Grace, you'll hear the classics, plus our annual pipers' salute, Highland Lassie. It's a rousing and fitting end to our Highland Games.

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Scottish Country Dance

As the social dance of Scotland, Scottish country dancing has been shaped by  traditions from an earlier era . It is a dance form infused with the spirit of the clans, tempered by the etiquette & elegance of the 18th century assembly. Its music is alive with the evocative rhythms & melodies of its Celtic origin – and instantly captivating.

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Scottish Culture

The cultural workshop tent is located just behind the main stage at Lafarge Lake Park, the center of Scottish cultural activities at the Games. Throughout the day there will be plenty of activity on the stage – and you can join in some of them. There will be a number of free workshops and demonstrations presented by some of BC's most informed Scots.

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Scottish Experience

Scottish Experience

It's a trip around Scotland - for the wee ones and the older ones. Learn how to toss a caber, dance a sword dance, say hello in the Gaelic or dance a Scottish Country Dance.  Get your passport stamped at each station, and there may be a prize at the end.

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Whisky School + Beer Service

Interested in learning the difference between a malt and a blend; a ten, 14 or 18-year old whisky? At the 2022 Games, we will be offering four separate whisky sessions for the beginner to the connoisseur, hosted by whisky experts and surrounded by the sights & sounds of an authentic Scottish Highland games. Our beer service offers a great selection of local craft brews.

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