The 18th annual Kincardine Scottish Festival and Highland Games drew the largest crowd ever, July 7-9, with thousands in the park for the Saturday night concert.
That's the word from event manager Linda Johnson who said there were lots of people during the competitions Saturday, but by the evening, Victoria Park was packed with the most people ever in the park at one time.
Saturday began with the solo piping and drumming competitions. When the music had faded, Ian K. MacDonald was named the professional piper of the day and the top piper in professional piobaireachd, with Cameron Bolley named professional drummer of the day.
Amateur piper of the day was Gavin McKay, and amateur drummer of the day was Matt Page.
In Highland Dancing, the most promising beginner was Brianna Dakin, and most promising novice was Madalyn McGregor.
The most promising intermediate dancer was Lila Warrilow; the S.R. Brown Memorial award for Special Fling, Premier aged 15 and under, went to Kirsten Sutter; and Dancer of the Day was Peyton Seto.
The pipe band competition drew 25 pipe bands from across Canada and the United States, including the Chicago Celtic Pipe Band of Chicago, Illinois; the Border Cities Caledonian of Windsor-Detroit; the 400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron Pipes and Drums of CFB Borden, Ontario; the Midlothian Scottish Pipe Band of Lombard, Illinois; and the ever-popular 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band of Lowville, Ontario.
The Guelph Pipe Band competes at the Kincardine Scottish Festival; video by David Dadson
When the awards were handed out, the top bands were:
Grade 5 - Hamilton Police Pipe Band, Paris-Port Dover Pipe Band, Cambridge and District Pipe Band
Best Pipe Corp. and Best Drum Corp. - Hamilton Police Pipe Band
Best Bass - Georgetown Pipe Band
Grade 4 - Border Cities Caledonian, Paris-Port Dover Pipe Band, Durham Regional Police Pipe Band
Best Pipe Corp. - Border Cities Caledonian tied with Paris-Port Dover Pipe Band
Best Drum Corp. - Paris-Port Dover Pipe Band
Best Bass - Border Cities Caledonian
Grade 3 - Hamilton Police Pipe Band, Toronto Police Pipe Band, Windsor Police Pipe Band
Best Pipe Corp., Best Drum Corp. and Best Bass - Hamilton Police Pipe Band
The Chicago Celtic Pipe Band competes at the Kincardine Scottish Festival; video by David Dadson
Grade 2 - Greater Midwest Pipe Band, 400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, Midlothian Scottish Pipe Band
Best Pipe Corp. - 400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron Pipes and Drums
Best Drum Corp. and Best Bass - Greater Midwest Pipe Band
Grade 1 - 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band, Toronto Police Pipe Band, Peel Regional Police Pipe Band
Best Pipe Corp. - three-way tie among the top three bands
Best Drum Corp. - 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band
Best Bass - Peel Regional Police Pipe Band
The 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band competes at the Kincardine Scottish Festival; video by David Dadson
There was one awkward incident in the piping circle, when a bench broke on the VIP bleachers, and a bench broke on another set of bleachers. No injuries were reported but those two sets of bleachers were cordoned off for the rest of the weekend.
In the Highland Games events, the following participants had the top scores:
Men's - Owen Willens, Berle Conrad, Padraic Moore and Austin Sztajdocher
Women's – Willow McCarthy, Heather Bondy and Lisa McLean
Master's – Kevin Fast, Warren Trask, John Jaus, Steve Clark and Peter Grey
Youth – Matt Fast, Chris Preste, Mike MacIntyre, Jesse Trask
July 16, 2017
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