The 2026 Kilt Skate Capital

The kilt skate season of 2026 saw events in three countries and the first International Kilt Skate Weekend. A record 15 cities vie for the bragging rights as the Kilt Skate Capital. Of these, eight communities hosted outdoor events.

The communities that hold their events inside hockey arenas don’t need to worry about outdoor temperatures warm or cold, The skaters skate, the pipers pipe, the dancers dance, and the hot chocolate can be served out without even needing to zip up a jacket,

But it’s the outdoor events that remain sharpest in the memory of many kilt skaters. The bright sun and the crisp air, and the challenges of playing the pipes when the reeds are close to frozen. Holding a kilt skate outdoors is not for the faint-hearted. It’s unseasonably warm temperatures one year and then braving severely cold weather the next. This requires a Scottish attribute that has a uniquely Scots word: thrawn — stubborn, obstinate, or intractable,

Thrawn is the attitude behind our motto:“celebrating Scotland with bare knees and ice,”

This year, the outdoor events included kilt skates in Moncton. Concord, Ottawa, Orillia, Winnipeg. and Calgary all planned for outdoor kilt skates this year; of these, Calgary had to cancel beccause of warm weather and unsafe skate conditions. But there was one event in particular that stood out because of the severity of the weather, and the warmth of the smiles on the faces in the photos.

The kilt skaters of Halifax, Nova Scotia, gritted their teeth and followed their motto: “stop thinking about it and do it.”

It’s only been three years since Andy MacCulloch approached Alex MacCulloch (no known relation) suggesting that Halifax needed a kilt skate. Alex showed great determination in getting THE SCOTs on board and creating a full blown kilt skate outside for the 2025 kilt skate season.

This year despite a wind chill of -20C, winds gusting up to 60 km/hour, with some heavy snow, the show went on. The second annual kilt skate drew to the wonderful outdoor facility at the Emera Oval even more dancers, bagpipers and skaters of all ages. It was truly a braw day capped by a sustaining dram at “The Beaver’s Den” How very Canadian!