Highland Games - Antigonish, Nova Scotia - Did you every go...share with me ....

[Famous Willie]

Bill,

Thank you so much for all your information, and I think that will be tapping more information from you as we go along. My cousin Shelia Boyd, has an aunt, who knows my MacDonald side of my family and hse lives very close to the Victoria Inn where we will be staying.

I will be there for the closing of the games, I plan to spend the whole week there, and during this time take some day trips to see where my family came from, Marydale, St. Andrews. and my grandmother side the Chisholm's from South River. Hope to do some family research and learn more about both sides.

One question, during the games to most people go kilted the entire time, should I take trousers too? Are there any formal diners to attend at the games, well any I can get invited too, would like to go to some more formal events when I am there.

Halifax, I know quite well, serving in the US Coast Guard we pulled into Halifax several times, Halifax and St. John's, Newfoundland were both home away from home. I am anxious just to get up to Antigonish, if I did stop off I would like to see the Bluenose or Peggy's Cove, are the close to each other?

I am hoping I still have relatives up there I can meet, after all it was only my Grandfather and his Sister who came to the US, rest stayed behind.

What are the best days to attend the games? What is the weather like? Appears you get rain.

When at the games, can you wear polo shirts with kilt? Are there any Jacobite Re-enactors there? Would it be improper to dress as Jacobite Living Historian? I have so many question, as I want to make sure I am not insulting or doing something wrong....

One other thing, my grandmother Chisholm's mother was a Mackintosh....I wonder if there is a connection....

Good Evening Allan.

Good to hear that you know someone that knows your MacDonald side. You will enjoy the day trips around the county. The Brierly Brook where my Mum Grew up, there were MacDonald's that were good friends to the Family. Antigonish has so many MacDonalds and Chisholms, that some MacDonald's were known as the Big Alec's and the Alex A's. The Big Alec MacDonalds were the Family Friends that I spoke of.

As for some of your questions, I may not be able to answer all, as it has been many years since I've lived there. As for taking pants, you would not be alone in wearing them, though I'd say the Kilt is just as popular if not more.... You will see a lot of Gentlemen wearing the Kilt. I know they have a formal dinner, as to where and when, it would be best to contact the Antigonish Highland Society, they could answer your questions better than I could. Here is the link..

https://www.antigonishhighlandsociety.ca/

The weather is usually quite nice, it can get very hot and humid in July, but sometimes there is a breeze. It is usually the last three days of the Games that the major events happen. The Grand Street parade when I lived there was always the last Saturday of the Games... Where the main events are the last weekend, I would assume the Parade would be still the last Saturday..

Wear whatever you want with the Kilt at the Games Allan, .. The Games in Antigonish are where people just go to have a good time, enjoy the events of the Track n' Field, hear the Pipes, and see the Highland Dancers. If you want to wear a polo shirt with your kilt, go ahead, no one would think anything. A formal dinner is different, there you would want to dress in your Highland Best... . As for Jacobite Re-enactors there, I am not too sure, The last games I attended was in 1995.. But you can always check with the Highland Society,

I can tell you when I was at the Fergus Games last month, there were a lot of fellows wearing a Utility Kilt, including yours truly... I kind of dressed it up a bit with a nice shirt and tartan tie, and I always wear my Sporran with my Utility Kilt.. , I got my Hose and Flashes at Fergus and it made the outfit seem more complete. Some of the fellows were wearing a T Shirt with their kilt, along with boots....

You mentioned you'd like to see Peggy's Cove and the Bluenose.. You would need to take the South Shore Route, Highway #103 or #3 as the Bluenose is usually docked in Lunenburg, and Peggy's Cove is outside Halifax.. Which you get to both from #3 highway..

Way back along the Family Tree on Mum's Side we could be related somehow. My Mum's Grandmother on her Dad's side was a Chisholm. If I can remember correctly, an Alexander Chisholm married a Katherine Hunter, They had a Daughter Isabelle, who married an Alexander Fraser, and had three sons, Sam, George and Will (My Grandfather). The Livingstone comes from my Gram, Mum's Mum.. She was a Livingstone, who married Will Fraser,

I hope this helps Allan.

It has been a long week, and fatigue is taking over, so I must close off..

Take care..

Bill

[CollinMacD]

Bill,

Thank you so much, you have been a great help in all of this. I do appreciate this so much, especially such a quick response.....

[Famous Willie]

Bill,

Thank you so much, you have been a great help in all of this. I do appreciate this so much, especially such a quick response.....

Glad to be able to help. Now you got me wanting to take in the Games....

[CollinMacD]

Glad to be able to help. Now you got me wanting to take in the Games....

I swear this is in our blood, maybe you will and we can share a wee dram...

[Famous Willie]

I swear this is in our blood, maybe you will and we can share a wee dram...

That would be nice, I could also show you around the County.. It is funny, how I lived in Antigonish for the first 30 years of my life, and I took the Games for Granted. Must admit, during the 1980's I looked after my Mum who was fighting Cancer, it was after I moved to Bridgewater and having a friend who loved anything Scottish that I made a couple of Journeys to the Games in 1994 and 1995 with them.. Maybe it's time to see them again. Will have to see what the New Year Brings... Definitely will have to have a Dram...