Got a hankering for some ribs? A curiosity for cabers? A need to show some knee in a kilt? A visit to this year’s Fall Fest and Highland Games in Ormstown will satisfy all these yearnings, and many more.
The sixth edition of the Livestock Breeders Association’s (LBA) annual festival will take place from September 18-20, offering an array of culturally rich and family-friendly activities designed to attract locals and new visitors to the fairgrounds.
The event will kick off on Friday with the annual shotgun-start golf tournament at the Ormstown Golf Club, followed by a rib supper and a country-inspired evening filled with line dancing under the stars with D.B. Country.
The following day, visitors can enjoy indoor tractor pulls in partnership with the southwestern Quebec garden tractor pullers in the arena, while the horses pound the track during the CRCCQ harness horse races.
The Highland Games will take place later in the day, starting at 4:30 p.m., for a special “Under the Lights” event. World-class athletes will compete in spectacular feats of strength, skill and endurance, including three-time Canadian champion Lorne Colthart and top heavyweight Jason Baines, who holds a Guinness World Record for tossing a caber 161 times in one hour.
“It is pretty impressive,” said LBA manager Sue Morison, referring to the elite athletes who will take the field at the fairgrounds. She explained that it was the athletes who asked about organizing the games in the evening on Saturday.
It was also the athletes who came to Morison with the idea of holding a clinic to initiate up to a dozen new bravehearts to the sport the following morning. Participants will try their hands at traditional events such as the caber toss, Scottish hammer throw and stone put, before taking part in a mini competition in the afternoon. The only catch is that all participants must wear a kilt.
The event will include performances from distinguished pipe bands from across the province, as well as dancers with the Royal Scottish Dance Society and the Montreal Highland Dancing Association. Several clans will also be on site to share their history, traditions and tartans.
In keeping with the Scottish tradition, the LBA has partnered with Curling Quebec to bring the roaring game to the recently refinished industrial building floor. “They are lending us their synthetic ice sheet, and local curling club members will come on Saturday and Sunday to promote curling and hopefully get new members to join their clubs,” said Morison.
Also new this year is festival bingo in the dining hall, a line-dancing marathon on Saturday, and a farmers’ market showcasing seasonal harvests, local producers, and area artisans over the weekend. All three days will feature the Ribfest and various food trucks, as well as bouncy games for children.
“We are trying to make activities for families,” said Morison, noting the goal is to keep the festival affordable as well. “We want familiar faces here and we want new visitors,” she added, noting there is absolutely something for everyone at the Fall Fest.