Montreal Highland Games draw athletes, artists from far and wide
Traditional Scottish cultural event has been going on for more than 40 years
The Montreal Highland Games have been a part of Montreal's cultural fabric for more than 40 years.
The annual event, on today, brings together athletes, dancers, musicians and others to compete, perform and participate in a variety of activities.
People in kilts and tartans will gather on the lawn of the Douglas Hospital in Verdun.
Chris Johnstone, a volunteer member of the organizing committee, is charged with helping organize the athletic tournament.
The events include the caber toss, sheaf toss, tug-of-war and hammer throw.
"It's a lot of big guys throwing heavy things," he joked.
Johnstone said competitors come from across Canada, the U.S. and Scotland.
He said he'd like to see the sport become more popular in Montreal, so they'd attract some homegrown competition.
For Johnstone, staying close to his Scottish roots has always been a priority.
"My dad was a piper. My mom was a piper. We used to have band practice in the backyard," he told CBC's All in a Weekend. "My kids and my siblings did Highland dancing."
Another key component of the event is the traditional music.
Maxim Bergeron is a 14-year-old fiddle player from Berlin who came to Montreal for the festival.
He's performed at the event before and said he's looking forward to it.
"It's a lot of fun — a lot of people, a big crowd," he said.
Bergeron studies classical violin but said he enjoys experimenting with different styles.
"I love music, both classical and folk," he told CBC's Homerun.
Watch the video above to see CBC All in a Weekend host Ainslie MacLellan show Chris Johnstone how a caber is really tossed. Although it should be noted, the demonstration model is one-fifth the seize of the real thing.
With files from CBC Montreal's Homerun, All in a Weekend