The Scottish Government will once again partner with the Scottish Society of Ottawa (SSO) to support kilt skating in Canada as a unique and colourful way to celebrate Scottish culture with bare knees and ice. An agreement has been reached between the government and the SSO that will see eight Canadian cities host kilt skates this year.

The kilt skate is part of overall partnership that involves SSO’s annual OttScot Festival — two months of Scottish-themed activities that begins with a tutored whisky tasting on St. Andrew’s Day (November 30) and includes a Gala Burns Supper & Ceilidh and Hogman-eh! — the largest Scottish-style New Year’s Eve celebrations to be held outside of Scotland. In past years, Hogman-eh! has gathered some 8,000 Scots and wanna-be Scots for food, music and dancing in Ottawa’s Aberdeen Pavilion.

This year, organizers for both Hogman-eh! and the Burns Supper are finding innovative ways for revelers to enjoy these evenings at home, while still being connected to the community online.

The pandemic protocols will no doubt have an impact on skating plans as well this winter, but already three cities have announced dates for their events: Ottawa on January 16, North Glengarry on January 23, and Calgary on February 7. Toronto, Fergus, Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Lethbridge are expected to announce their plans in the coming weeks.

The organizations hosting kilt skates in these cities appreciate how the partnership with the Scottish Government supports everything from renting ice time or hiring entertainment. Some organizations pay entrance fees for any skater who arrives dressed in a kilt, tartan, or other Scottish paraphernalia.

Often organizations acquire bunting and other Scottish themed decorations. And usually there is hot chocolate, birthday cake, cookies or other refreshments on hand to keep skaters warm.

The partnership is part of the Scottish Government’s ambitious promotional campaign to tell the stories of people who live, work, study, visit and invest in Scotland. The “Scotland is Now” campaign shows a modern, forward-looking nation that highlights Scotland’s appeal, not just as a tourism destination, but as an economic and educational powerhouse. A website helps the many partners in this initiative to promote that message.

“The new Scotland Is Now campaign,” says the website, “will tell the authentic story of Scotland as a bold and positive country, rich in history and heritage but forging forward in a way that is progressive, pioneering and inclusive. We’re waking the world up to the fact that Scotland is a country that is challenging new thinking, inviting new investment, creating new opportunities, supporting new industry and driving technology that embraces humanity around the globe.”

Some 5 million Canadians can trace their ancestry back to their Scottish roots. The Scottish Government would like to keep those relationships strong. But more than that, the #ScotlandIsNow campaign wants to encourage many of those to think of their ancestral home in new ways that will bring them back again when the pandemic has passed.