History

Exerpt from Victoria Daily Times, August 1, 1938

BIG CROWD SEES HIGHLAND GAMES

Dancing, Piping and Track and Field Events Included on Day-long Program

With dancing lads and lassies resplendent in their brilliant Highland costumes, the skirl of pipes wailing to the four winds, brawny Highlanders tossing the caber and other track and field performers dancing over the turf, Victoria's inaugural Highland Games were presented in colorful pageantry Saturday in spacious Macdonald Park.

The 10-hour program was highly successful in all its phases. It was easily the best ever presented here and holds promise of being the highlight event in this city in future years.

By midafternoon, the spectators, estimated at 2,000, had packed the grandstand to capacity and stood five deep against the ropes strung out in front of the grandstand.

The area in front of the grandstand was a sea of shifting color all day as scores of kilted dancers, pipers, drummers and officials moved to and fro, but to add still more color to the surroundings, red, white and blue bunting was used profusely.

Although the games opened in the morning at 10:30 with dancing and piping, they were not officially opened until 3:15 by Premier T.D. Pattullo, who was accompanied by Hon. James A. Farley, Postmaster-General of the United States. They were piped in by the 16 members of the Seattle Pipe Band, who were resplendent in the Mackenzie tartan. Pipe Major Donald Cameron of the 2nd Battalion of the Canadian Scottish, one-time piper to Queen Victoria at Balmoral Castle, had the honour of piping in Vice-Admiral Sir Sidney Julius Meyrick and Lady Meyrick.

Colonel Ross Napier, chieftain for the day, and Duncan MacBride, president of the Highland Games Association, greeted all distinguished guests of honor. Col. Napier wore the Napier tartan and Mr. MacBride the MacGillivray tartan.

One hundred pipers and drummers took part in a colorful march past after Premier Pattullo had taken his seat in the grandstand and was accorded hearty applause by the spectators.

There was a record representation of 15 clan tartans at the games and there was an unprecedented number of pipe bands present. Three bands were from Vancouver, one from Seattle and Vernon and the local Canadian Scottish Band.

Seventy dancers were present and 20 individual pipers from Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Washington. Oldest exponent of the Highland dance was William Anderson, senior of all Highland dancers in Canada, who was presented with a life membership in the association by Mr. MacBride.

The youngest competitor was Billy Smith, a four-year old from North Burnaby.