By Jock Mackenzie

1. The Highland Games is the Highland Games. It involves competitions and displays of highland dancing (including the highland fling, the sword dance, the seann triubhas, strathspey and reel, pas de basque and highcuts, Flora MacDonald’s Fancy, Scottish lilt, Irish Jig, ½ Tulloch), piping and drumming (individuals and bands), and heavy events (including Hammer, Weight for Distance, Putting the Stone, Sheaf Toss, Weight Over Bar, Caber Toss).

2. The Highland Games is much more than the Highland Games. Some might suggest this event be called a “festival” but it’s been the Red Deer Highland Games for 71 years before this and tradition needs to be recognized. Extras include: The 78^th Fraser Highlanders (living history demos all day with mock battles of musket and cannon firing), the Red Stags Battle Group (a LARP group – Live Action Role Playing) with real armor and high impact foam weapons), medieval spinning and weaving demonstrations, shortbread competition, sheep dog demonstrations, Scottish Country Dancers, the Entertainment Tent featuring the Celtic Jam Jars band, and vendor tents.

3. The 72^nd Red Deer Highland Games is “kid friendly.” Clearly, there’s an absolutely full day for any adult (did I mention the Massed Band performance at the end of the day?). Especially for kids is a Children’s Play Area that runs all day long. At mid-day, the wee lads and lassies are invited to the Junior Heavy events: caber toss and putting the stone. Under close supervision of the adult athletes, the kids will be given cabers and stones made specifically for them.

4. The 72^nd Red Deer Highland Games will be held on from 8:00 to 4:00 on Saturday, June 22 at the Westerner Grounds. Outdoor events will be held on the chuckwagon infield; indoor activities will be in the adjacent (and shiny and new) Ag Centre West. Admission includes parking: adult – $15, child/senior – $12, family (2/2 + program) – $45.

5. There isn’t a #5. Being truly Scottish, I’m thrifty. I’ll save more information for another day. Okay, one last thought: Have you ever tried a haggis burger?

Todayville Top 5 features the freelance writings of Jock Mackenzie.

Jock is an original Red Deerian!  Educated at Lindsay Thurber and Red Deer College (with a stint at the U of A), he became an educator himself, spending 31 years with the Red Deer Public school system.

It’s safe to say Jock knows Red Deer about as well as anyone (OK.. maybe not Michael Dawe).   As a confirmed life-long learner, Jock never tires of getting to know his surroundings even better.  That’s where the Todayville Top 5 comes in.  In each feature, Jock shares a few ingredients that go into the mix that makes this delicacy called Red Deer the place we want to call home.  As a well organized person who knows you’re busy, he’s choosing just 5 juicy tidbits to share each time.

If you’d like to be featured by Jock Mackenzie on the Todayville Top 5, just contact us at [email protected].