To say Scottish heritage is built to last would be a huge understatement.
Did you know that people first occupied the land now known as Scotland way back in 12000 BC, and the first written documents of Scotland as a distinct nation date from 300 AD?
Meanwhile, here in B.C., ScotFestBC — featuring the British Columbia Highland Games — has also proven to have incredible staying power. This year’s festival, taking place June 14 to 15 at Town Centre Park in Coquitlam, marks its 92nd edition.
ScotFestBC is the province’s largest annual celebration of Scottish culture and entertainment. Attendees of all ages are invited to enjoy two full days of live music, dance, feats-of-strength competitions, food and drink, kids’ activities and much more
And to make a great thing even better, ScotFestBC has expanded its scope to celebrate other global cultures, as well.
“We realize we’re one of many immigrant communities who are privileged to live and work in B.C. and Canada,” says Mike Chisholm, the festival’s executive director. “Since 2016, we’ve invited performers from other cultures to take part in ScotFestBC and collaborate with Scottish artists. Last year, we held a full day of multicultural programming on five stages. And in 2024, we’ll again host multicultural acts on our Heritage Stage, with acts from Mexico, Japan, Ukraine, and First Nations.”
Here are just a few of the many can’t-miss events happening at ScotFestBC.
Pipes in the Park
Following a brief opening ceremony, the SFU Pipe Band Drum Corps, the RMM III Pipe Band (second-place world champions), singer Bob Collins and champion Highland dancer Marielle Lesperance will take to the main stage for an early evening of entertainment the whole family will love on Friday, June 14, at 6:20 p.m. And Friday is free!
Food, drink and merchandise galore
Starting at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, explore an array of Scottish culinary temptations in Town Centre Park. Liquor service will also begin for attendees aged 19-years and older. Be sure to secure your seat at the unique ticketed Whisky & Oysters event, taking place in the Whisky Tent at 7:00 p.m. (visit the website for advance tickets.) Merchants will also be offering a wide variety of Scottish-themed paraphernalia to take home.
Vancouver Open Highland Dancing Championships
When it comes to traditional Scottish music and dance, some of the best performers in the world come to entertain the masses at ScotFestBC. This lineup includes pipers, drummers and, of course, Highland dancers, who will be appearing on the Main Stage as part of a day-long competition on Saturday, June 15, from 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
RE/MAX Scottish heavy events
Witness awe-inspiring feats of strength as competitors challenge one another in some of the oldest contested sports in the world, including the Caber toss, the Stone Putt, the Scottish Hammer Toss and the Weight-for-Distance Throw on Saturday, June 15, from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Ashley MacIsaac
Nova Scotia’s JUNO Award-winning fiddler, singer and songwriter will be appearing at ScotFestBC for the first time on Saturday, June 15, as part of both a fiddle workshop (3:00 p.m. in the Cultural Tent) and a live performance (7:30 p.m. in the Big Tent).
Want to really take part in the festival? ScotFestBC is seeking volunteers who, in exchange for their valued participation, will receive free entry, plus a complimentary tee-shirt and lunch. Visit the website to sign up.
To purchase tickets and view the complete festival schedule, visit ScotFestBC.com.
