Highland Games offer the best in piping and Celtic music

Two good reasons not to miss the 2010 Glengarry Highland Games on Friday, July 30 and Saturday, July 31 in Maxville are the world class piping events and the best lineup anywhere in celtic entertainment.

The Games are synonymous with the finest in piping. Not only do pipe bands travel from across Canada and the United States to compete in the North American Pipe Band Championship, but in addition, the top pipers come to take the honours in the prestigious Piobaireachd (pronounced pee-brock) competitions.

The Piobaireachd is the classical playing of the pipes and is only attempted by the very talented and experienced pipers, many of whom are pipe majors of the competing bands. Seventeen of these pipers will meet on Friday, July 30th at the United and Anglican Churches on Main Street in Maxville to take home the Gold Medal.

As well, six former winners of the Gold Medal will compete on Saturday, July 31 in the Gold Medallist Competiton. Pipers will be coming from Nova Scotia, Alberta, Ohio, Arkansas and Ontario to be judged by the eminent piper, Bill Livingstone, Pipe Major of the 78th Fraser Highlanders.

On Friday, there will be 185 solo pipers and drummers competing throughout the day and on Saturday morning, there will be 38 professional pipers and drummers competing, but the event that pipers wait for all year starts at 1 p.m. Saturday with the North American Pipe Band Championship.

Every year more than one thousand pipers and drummers come to Maxville with the view to being named the first in their category with of course, the top honours and the Championship going to the best Grade One pipe band. This year, bands will be competing on Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. in three competition circles in five categories from Grade One to Grade Five.

Many people attending the Games feel that their trip is not complete unless they are present at the close of Saturday's events to hear and see the wave after wave of pipers and drummers enter the field, then play in unison marching across the infield.

The emotional highlight of the Games is the playing of Amazing Grace as the hundreds of musicians join in with a thunder of drums and the swelling sound of the pipes. It is a moment that has to be experienced to be understood and never forgotten.

The Games offers the best of Celtic music from the area and this year, from Scotland, for wall-to-wall dancing and listening pleasure. From quiet solos to rocking pipers, this year's lineup has it all.

The Friday night Tattoo headliners are Scocha, Scotland's premier Celtic band. The band was the headliner in 2008 and left behind hundreds of fans who will cheer to see them return. Their uplifting performance that year had thousands clapping and cheering and then turn poignant with a tribute to the World War I Battle of Paschendale.

This year, the band promises to start right where they left off with a rousing show. Many people will be excited that Scocha will also be performing in the Tents on Saturday afternoon. The band came to the 2008 Games as strangers and they return this year as welcome friends.

Glengarry County is blessed with a huge pool of talent when it comes to Celtic music. All of the favourites will be performing. For a relaxing Friday afternoon, the Metcalfe Centre offers an impressive presentation of fiddlers interspersed with the Trillium School of Irish Dance, the Glengarry Girls Choir and the Gaelic singers.

The ever-popular Brigadoons have been part of the Friday night Tattoo for decades and will also be playing their top tunes Saturday afternoon and evening in the Metcalfe Centre. Pat Maher and Paddy Kelly better known as The 2 Paddys will be providing the music at Thursday's Tartan Ball as well as the Friday night dance in the Metcalfe Centre.

Saturday is a full day of music with a Glengarry Ceilidh in the Metcalfe Centre that has the Brigadoons joined by Glengarry favourite, Martintown's Hughie McDonell. The impressive lineup for the afternoon and evening performances includes the versatile Bob and Ducky (and Lucky) and the energetic talented Ashley MacLeod Band.

Over in the tents, the list is just as exciting. At the Friday night dance, Hadrian's Wall will keep the dance floor crowded until 1 a.m.

On Saturday, headliners Scocha will share the stage in the afternoon with Brandy n' Port, a celtic duo from Ottawa and veteran Games performers. The popular band, Fridge Full of Empties, take to the stage on Saturday night after the massed bands until 10 p.m.

What a lineup to keep any age entertained whether listening from the sidelines or taking to the dance floor, so start practicing those dance steps to be ready for the Games! www.glengarryhighlandgames.com