The 2021 Kilt Skate Capital of Canada

The 2021 Kilt Skate Capital of Canada

To sum up: many former kilt skate capitals and many new communities responded to the challenge of the Great Canadian Kilt Skate — Home Edition. But there was one city that was a standout this year. For one thing, it sent us more pictures than any other community.

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Week 8: A Party Wraps Up the Season

Week 8: A Party Wraps Up the Season

Born out of necessity when the pandemic prevented community events, the Home Edition of the Great Canadian Kilt Skate has proved to be a tremendous success — one that will likely carry on into future kilt skate seasons. By encouraging people to skate on their own whenever and wherever they safely could, we .saw many come out to kilt skate for the first time — including Jim Hunter. Not only is Jim our first kilt skater from Regina, SK, he likely holds this year’s and perhaps the all-time record for the most senior kilt skater.

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Toronto Organizes Kilt Skate Party -- Home Edition

Toronto Organizes Kilt Skate Party -- Home Edition

The pandemic has made us innovate. When public health protocols made community events problematic, we adapted. Everyone was encouraged to kilt skate in a safe, outdoor, socially distanced manner in what we dubbed the Great Canadian Kilt Skate — Home Edition. Now in the GreateriToronto Area (GTA), they’re taking innovation to the next step: the Great Canadian Kilt Skate Zoom & Facebook Party. Join it from 11 a.m. until noon on Saturday February 27.

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Toronto: Hockey and Kilt Skating: a happy mix

Toronto: Hockey and Kilt Skating: a happy mix

For its fourth annual kilt skate, Toronto decided to try something different: a partnership with the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies at their arena on the afternoon of their match-up with the Rochester Americans. The Marlies are an affiliate of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs; the Americans support the Buffalo Sabres. On game day, the Toronto fans were out in force — and ready for a good time, kilted an a’ that.

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Toronto's Scots come out in big numbers

Toronto's Scots come out in big numbers

After a flurry of social media posts, Scots came out in great numbers to Toronto's second annual Sir John A's Great Canadian Kilt Skate. Outdoor kilt skates are always vulnerable to the weather, and on the Saturday on which the skate was originally scheduled, the rain poured on Nathan Phillips Square. Mind you, that didn't stop some Torontonians from trying out their skates, but I'm glad the City asked us to move our event to Sunday. 

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SNALC! North American leadership

SNALC!  North American leadership

Scots can be a clannish lot, taking care of our own affairs and letting others tend to theirs. But when we do get together to share ideas and compare challenges, the results can be invigorating. The Scottish North American Leadership Conference (SNALC) has been held in Chicago, Detroit, New York and Edinburgh. On August 10-11, 2017, in honour of Canada's 150th birthday, the 16th annual  was held in Canada for the first time at the University of Guelph.

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