MAXVILLE, Ontario – In its 73 year history, a Glengarry Highland Games has never been cancelled until this year. It seems strange not to be preparing for the Games, not only for the Games Directors but for everyone in Glengarry who count on the Games to be the gathering spot of the summer for family and friends near and far.
This week things are a lot quieter in the Counties and certainly Maxville won’t be receiving the thousands of visitors who start arriving Wednesday and fill the streets and fairgrounds for the days of the Games.
There is a big void for everyone with what to do this weekend that can match the excitement and camaraderie of the Games. At the Games, we have come up with a few novel ways to keep the Games alive by using our social media to post virtual Games happenings. Nothing can replace the real thing, but we hope everyone will gather in covid safe groups and carry on with Games festivities using some of the neat stuff found on our website, Facebook, Instagram,Twitter and YouTube sites.
Welcome to the Games Virtually
To help you through this Games week, here are a few things that are in the works to create a virtual experience of the Games.
If you read this before Wednesday evening and are looking for some Games merchandise especially the special 2020 shirt, head over to Maxville and the Games Admin building. Sales will take place 6-9pm. Bring your mask and debit or credit only.
Throughout the week, you can test your knowledge and experiences with the Games on our Facebook pages in the Trivia and Bingo Games. Challenge family and friends for the title of Games champ. Wednesday will feature photos of past Golf Tournaments that have raised funds for many local organizations over the years. What can be more fun that wearing a kilt that swirls as you whack the mighty white ball.
Starting Thursday at 6pm, check out our Facebook page for a very entertaining video with many of our Games Directors tossing the token. You’ll see a lot of familiar faces and lots of great attempts to look like pros as they toss one of the Games famous beer tokens. No tokens or Directors were harmed in this video.
Thursday on Facebook, take a peek at some nostalgic photos of past Tartan Balls. For this kick-off to Games weekend attendees gather in their finest Scottish attire for an evening of dinner and dance and of course, the haggis.
On Saturday, Aug. 1, short videos will be aired of some of the Games favourite moments, the heavyweights, Glengarry My Home, a drone overview of the grounds and of course, Amazing Grace. Check out the results of the virtual Kilt Run that will be posted Saturday as well.
Wherever you go during the Games weekend, you can enjoy the sounds of the best in celtic music by streaming our two playlists on Spotify and Apple Music. Search under Glengarry Highland Games 2020 Weekend Edition. Choose either the playlist with rousing party songs or the one with traditional celtic tunes whichever suits your listening pleasure. What a great soundtrack for your Games get-together.
Tour the Games Virtually
Friday at 4pm will see the premiere of our video, the Virtual Edition of the Glengarry Highland Games. Many of our Games heavyweights, highland dancers, fiddlers and celtic bands have joined together giving their time and talent to create a mini-Games for your entertainment. Taped live over the past weekend, this collection of Glengarry talent will bring back the many special sights and sounds that make up every Games. It is our hope that you will find a moment in the video that brings the Games to life for you.
Get your friends together and watch the video creating your own version of the Games. The video will be available over the weekend on our Games Facebook, website pages and watch it when it fits into your weekend plans. We hope you will enjoy some great music, great entertainment and a taste of the Games to fit nicely into your weekend plans. You’ll probably see some of your friends and many Games personalities in the 90 minute show. To our entertainers, athletes and performers, thank you for providing a snapshot of the special moments that make our Games so memorable. As well, our great thanks to the SDG Counties for their support in producing this video for your enjoyment.
Watch the teaser posted now on our social media. For those in Cornwall and area, Cogeco Cornwall will be airing the Virtual Video over the weekend. Check your local listings.
Zoom Massed Highland Fling
This past Sunday, 230 and counting highland dancers joined together on Zoom for a Massed Highland Fling. Dancers from around the world including Australia, Switzerland, Ireland, Scotland, the USA and across Canada danced for 1minute and 24 seconds to the piping of Glen Sinclair. The World Adult Champion, Marielle Lesperance, from PEI joined the dance, as well as three generations of dancers from Maxville, past Games Director Lois McLeod, her daughter Heather and granddaughter Layla. You will be sure to want to watch this performance when it’s posted to our sites on Friday, July 31
Best Wishes from the Games
We can’t bring you the real thing, but we hope you will enjoy revisiting past Games and viewing a few special events to fill the hours of Games weekend.
Thank you to the Glengarry News for their tribute supplement to the Games and to all the advertisers who participated in the supplement and wished the Games well.
We would like to thank everyone who so generously gave their time and talent to create this virtual edition of the Glengarry Highland Games.
For Glengarry, the Games are bigger than two days in the middle of the summer. They are a time when Glengarrians welcome the world to Maxville and show them what this little part of Scotland means to us all. This year we won’t be celebrating the Winner of the North American Pipe Band Championship™, we won’t be filling the grandstands for the Friday night Tattoo or Saturday night’s massed bands, but we will still be in our own small group ways celebrating the spirit of the Games .
Check out our Games website, glengarryhighlandgames.com, and find all the links to our Facebook events, Instagram posts, Twitter tweets and YouTube videos.
While you are having your own celebration of the Games, post your pictures to our social media and share with us. If you are short on ideas, check out the article, Ten Ways to Celebrate the Games.
Have a great Games weekend. Happy Highland Games and see you July 30 &31, 2021 at the Glengarry Highland Games.
