Coquitlam, BC – BC Highland Games attendee’s are in for a treat this year, as BC’s top Celtic band, The Paperboy’s, is poised to take the beer garden stage at the Games in June for a Games afternoon concert, plus a free Friday night event.
The Paperboy’s will headline the 88th BC Highland Games & Scottish Festival in its new location, Coquitlam’s Lafarge Lake Park. The Paperboy’s will perform Saturday afternoon, June 15, for two performances. For those who can’t make it Saturday, you can still enjoy a bit of Celtic culture with The Paperboy’s on Friday night at a free Kick Off Ceilidh.
“We are thrilled to have the Paperboy’s as our main act,” says Mike Chisholm, executive director of the BC Highland Games. “We have wanted to have the band at the Games for many years, so it’s great to finally land them for our expanded Games in our new location.”
“We have been working and planning with City of Coquitlam officials for the past three years to move the Games to Lafarge Lake Park, and what better way to kick things off than to have BC’s Celtic kings welcome everyone to the new venue in a free Friday night concert and as headliners on Saturday.”
Lafarge Lake Park is a grassy, treed area on the edge of Lafarge Lake in downtown Coquitlam. It is the site of a number of summer civic celebrations including Canada Day and Kaleidoscope Festival. The BC Highland Games will be the first big, non-civic event to be held in the park, a stones throw from the Games old venue, Percy Perry Stadium, where the Games were held for 27-years. The new venue is a more intimate setting for all the Games competitions, including the Scottish heavy events.
The City of Coquitlam is now in the final stages of completing a new lawn at the site which will be ready this spring, and will host its first event June 15, when the Scottish heavy athletes take the field at 9 am with a special ceremony at 11 am.
“We have decided to name the heavy event field after one of the Games longest supporters, Lew Ross. Lew is the former athletic director of the Games and was key to developing Scottish heavy event athletics in BC. It’s a very appropriate name for this new field, in our new location”, says Chisholm.
A special ceremony will be held at 11 am to dedicate the ‘Lew Ross Heavy Event Field’ and to recognize the City of Coquitlam for its cooperation and assistance in our move to Lafarge Lake Park. Lew will also be asked to throw the first “ceremonial” stone to officially begin the heavy events, which start at 9 am.
Along with The Paperboys, highland dancing, piping, heavy events and whisky school, the Games this year will feature an acoustic stage for traditional musicians. Well known BC musician Michael Viens of Blackthorn will host the stage, along with invited musicians, including East coast piper Barry Shears, fiddler J.J. Lavelee and other’s throughout the afternoon.
“Piping and drumming will be located in a section of the park appropriately named “Piper’s Glen”. With plenty of space, trees and secluded areas, it will be perfect for tuning up, competitions and hanging out with pipers and drummers from throughout the Pacific Northwest who attend the Games”, says Chisholm. “And highland dancing will also be in a new, more scenic location on the north end of the park bordering the lake.”
The main TD Community Stage will be the site of official ceremonies, Scottish Country dancing and cultural activities. From interactive and massed Scottish country dancing, to a Gaelic milling frolic for everyone, the main stage will be hopping all day. The stage will also be the location for the final ceremonies with hundred’s of pipers and drummers wrapping up the Games in thunderous style.
Behind the scenes, a committee of more than 35 people are working on planning for the Games in its new location just steps from the Lafarge Lake Skytrain station. The Games will continue to provide a top level event for all competitors, and a moveable feast of sights, sounds and experiences for everyone else.
“The Games are a perfect event for families and friends to gather, spend the day wandering the field, enjoying the food, vendors, music and competitions that make the Games such a unique experience,” says Chisholm. “We continue to grow these Games into a bigger community celebration that is easy to access via public transit, and has something for everyone, all for just $15.”
Tickets for the Games are already on sale on the Games website (BCHighlandGames.com). Friday night will be a free event in the park with open Piobaireachd (classical music of the pipes), beer garden, a whisky tasting, a 10 & 5k Tartan Run, vendors and The Paperboy’s.
Sidebar:
Tickets for the Games are now on sale on the Games website (BCHighlandGames.com)
Tartan Run info is also available on the Games website or here.
Volunteers: Games Hosts are still needed. Please see the Games website for info. 4hrs=free entry.
Friday night is a free event in the park. Bring a lawn chair.
Access is via Skytrain Millennium Line (Evergreen Extension) Lafarge Lake Station.
