Ailsa Craig Highland Games return July 25
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- 3 min read
By Dan Rolph
Bagpipes will be blowing and kilts will be abundant as the annual Ailsa Craig Highland Games and Scottish Festival returns July 25.
The local festival, born from the spirit of Ailsa Craig’s Gala Days, hearkens back to Ailsa Craig’s namesake — a volcanic island off the coast of Scotland where the microgranite used to make most of the world’s curling stones is quarried.
Ailsa Craig Highland Games and Scottish Festival committee chair John Mombourquette said the idea for a Scottish-centric festival in the community came from local minds who thought an event that celebrated the village’s roots would be a hit.
“People thought we should do something that has a Scottish theme,” said Mombourquette. “It’s a fun event.”
Mombourquette said the local festival aims to be community-centric while hosting athletic competitions, making it a place fit for the whole family. It’s that vision for a place for the whole community that keeps the festival from selling tickets, opting to instead offer entry by donation.
“We try to keep it a community feeling, trying to replicate the spirit of Gala Days,” he said. “Though the highland games themselves are a competition, everything else is just fun.
“We’ve been fortunate that local businesses and the town have really come in with fundraising. The community has really got behind us.”
This year’s event is the third hosted in the community so far, boasting a lineup of both returning and new attractions at the Ailsa Craig Community Centre.
The day will begin with a community breakfast at 8 a.m. with music by Klassic Country, a local musical duo who will entertain breakfast-goers with classic country hits.
The Thistle Market will then open at 9:30 a.m. Run by the Ailsa Craig Arts Centre, the market will feature 16 vendors with Scottish and Celtic themes, as well as workshops.
The games themselves will begin at 10 a.m., and competitors will be able to participate in events that put their skills to the test.
A new addition to the festival this year will be the Highland Community Loom by Aime Latta, a local fibre artist who will help attendees as they weave a tartan fabric.
Another new attraction, the Scottie Dog Picnic, will begin at 11:30 a.m. The picnic will be a chance for the owners of Scottish terriers to gather and celebrate the distinct dog breed in a fun setting.
“People can bring in their Scottie dogs, and they do activities with them,” said Mombourquette. “People can come up and see the dogs.”
Keeping with its community-centric theme, the festival will also feature a Kid’s Zone, organized by the Locality Wellness Hub, which Mombourquette said is another example of the many members of the community in Ailsa Craig coming together to make the festival a success.
“We’re partnering with all kinds of different groups in town,” he said.
The main stage will be the spot to catch local musical talent throughout the day as artists fit for the Scottish theme perform. The Celtic Hillbillies, a quartet from Sarnia, will perform their own take on Celtic music. Next on stage will be Feed the Ducks, a duo with a modern spin on Celtic music.
As the festival wraps up a day of fun and athleticism for the year, the Mudmen will be returning to the stage after having been so well received during the festival’s inaugural event in 2024.
“They bring a lot of people in,” said Mombourquette.
With admission by donation and a full day of music, markets, family activities and highland competitions, the festival continues to grow as a celebration of Ailsa Craig’s Scottish heritage and the community spirit that keeps it going.
For more information about the Ailsa Craig Highland Games and Scottish Festival, visit ailsacraighighlandgames.ca.