Glengarry Highland Games

The Glengarry Highland Games consist of a series of traditional Scottish competitions held annually in Maxville, Ontario, Canada, usually held the first weekend in August. The games span three days and attract as many as 50,000 people, they are the largest Highland Games of its kind outside Scotland. The Glengarry Highland Games are primarily intended to be a showcase of traditional Scottish heavy events, Highland Dance, pipe and drum competitions.

The caber toss event involves tossing a 22-foot-long spruce log weighing about 125 lbs. The stone thrower event involves hurling a 25-lb. rock shot-put style. The 28-lb. and 56-lb. weight throw events involves using a one-handed throw to heave an iron block with iron ring attached. For the 16-lb. hammer throw, competitors propel a round metal ball with a wooden handle. The 56-lb. weight toss event involves competitors launching the weight over a pole vault.

The Highland Dance are performed as ceremonial dances mainly by young female dance competitors. Historically, however, Highland dances, such as the Sword dance were performed by men over the body of a slain opponent as celebrations of victorious battles.

During pipe and drum competitions, solo pipers and drummers compete in individual events for strathspey and reel, march, piorbaireachd and drumming march. Judges evaluate the synchronicity of band members and the uniformity of pitch. During the Massed Bands, over 50 pipe and drum bands play together as a single entity.

The Glengarry Games were first staged in 1948, and are home to the North American Pipe Band championships. Although primarily intended to be a showcase of traditional Scottish events such as the caber toss, the games also serve as an annual gathering of area residents as well as the various clan societies across Canada and the United States.

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