CANMORE – The upcoming Canmore Highland Games expanded to two full days of Celtic tradition and culture for its 33rd year.
Taking place Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, the Games jumped on the opportunity to add a second full day to its schedule after unforeseen circumstances caused the Calgary Highland Games to cancel the event this year.
“We stepped up, took the bull by the balls, sort of thing, and said ‘we’d go for a two-day Highland Games’,” said Sandy Bunch, president of the Canmore Highland Games.
With the addition of the second day, more volunteers are required and still needed to help set up, run and take down the event. Bunch estimates they will need around 300 to 350 volunteers.
“That’s the Labour Day weekend, and the kids going back to school too, so it makes it kind of hard-to-get volunteers, or the number of volunteers that we require for the whole event,” said Bunch.
Getting more volunteers will be a deciding factor for whether or not it will continue running for two full days going forward.
Those wanting to volunteer can sign up at https://canmorehighlandgames.ca/volunteering/.
On Saturday (Aug. 31), the games kick off in Centennial Park with a heavy sports throwing clinic where people can try out some of the traditional Gaelic sporting events.
“People who’ve never thrown anything before can get them some lessons and some training, so they get a better idea without hurting themselves, or other people when it comes to that,” said Bunch.
The opening day will also host music, dancing, food trucks, the Celtic market and the amateur and masters heavy games competition.
The open, pro and women’s heavy games competition begins on Sunday (Sept. 1).
USA's Chuck Kasson, the 2018 heavy games word champ, lit up the crowd last year after he hurled a 20-pound bag over 32.6 feet with a pitch fork in the sheaf toss.
Damien Fisher, who was ranked second in the world at the time, came in first for the pro category with Kasson in second and Alex McCara from Victoria B.C. in third.
Another big reaction from the crowd came after Calgary’s Siri Svensson threw a perfect 12 o’clock caber, making her the only one to do so in the women’s category. Svensson took first, with Alexis Johnson in second and Calgary’s Alisha Thompson in third.
At last year’s Calgary heavy games, Johnson set a Canadian women’s record before travelling down the TransCanada Highway to Canmore the next day after she launched a 12-pound hammer 103 feet and nine inches, 6.5 inches further than the previous record.
Other events and activities include sheep dog demonstrations, the clan village, tug-of-war, whisky tastings, a beer garden and the British car and motorcycle show.
A full schedule of events can be found at https://canmorehighlandgames.ca/canmore-highland-games-event-schedule/.
The games are bringing back the Highland cow and calf, which will be available for selfies after stopping the tradition for years due to a hand, foot and mouth disease outbreak which was dangerous for the livestock.
“People couldn’t go anywhere near the cattle, so we stopped having them and they just never came back,” said Bunch.
The Rolling Drones from Glasgow, Scotland, will be rocking the final event the Canmore Ceilidh on Sunday evening. The six-person modern pipe band will also be giving a taste of their sound in the main field on Saturday for a quick half-hour set.
