Scottish culture celebrated with kilt skate and curl

Members of the Orillia Scottish community skated and curled in kilts on Saturday to promote Scottish culture and raise funds for the annual Scottish festival.

The day began with a ‘Kilt Skate’ on Lake Couchiching, which was followed by a ‘Kilt Curl’ session at Barnfield Point Recreation Centre.

“Today was an opportunity to promote Scottish culture and create more opportunity to learn about the Orillia Scottish festival,” said Angela Paylor, a co-chair for the Scottish festival. “It’s a lovely opportunity for people to celebrate part of their culture and just share it with other people so that [they] learn more about it.”

The ‘Kilt Skate’ is a Canada-wide initiative that is in its eleventh year in 2025. Sunday was the first time Orillia was part of it.

Paylor adds that the festivals have become more costly to operate, and that Sunday was a chance to raise funds toward expanding their entertainment and connect with potential sponsors.

“If there’s anybody who is looking for opportunities, either with planning the Scottish festival or joining in on the day in terms of volunteering their time, we’d be happy to meet with them,” said Paylor.

The three-day Orillia Scottish festival takes place during the third weekend of July.