It was a great week of Celtic music. Lots of piping, fiddling, Gaelic singing and plenty of dancing. The 23rd Celtic Colours International Festival, held from October 12-19 all over Cape Breton Island drew sell-out crowds to all the official events, and many of the unofficial ones. Hurricane Dorian stripped much of the “colour” from …
Read more “Bagpiping in Vancouver, Bagpiping in Cape Breton”
St. Patrick’s Day in Vancouver can be one of the busiest weeks of the year for a Scottish bagpiper – and it’s not even a Scottish celebration. As a Nova Scotian Scot, I find it amusing in Vancouver that there seems to be little difference between Scottish & Irish culture. For Irish events, like St. …
Read more “Gearing up for 2019 St. Patrick’s Day Bagpiping in Vancouver”
Ok, it’s not the Stanley Cup, but it’s just as old. The Cup is amazing. Dented, beat up and losing a bit of its shine. It’s absolutely perfect. Thanks to the SFU football alumni for inviting me to lead in the Cup. I’m now waiting for a call from the Vancouver Canucks to lead in …
It’s been a great 2018. As both the bagpiper for Rocky Mountaineer Rail Tours and the chair/executive director of the BC Highland Games & Scottish Festival, we have had a very busy year. The Rocky Mountaineer season is wrapping up next week, with another great year and thousands of international guests passing through the main …
It’s a busy year at the Rocky Mountaineer. Record number of guests from the US, UK, India, China and many other countries are discovering the luxury train through the mountains. I am pleased to be playing for my 8th season with this company of great people. Here’s an article about the Rocky Mountaineer trip from …
It may be St. Patrick’s Day, but when the Celtic nations get together for a party, it’ll be tough to miss the Scots. Downtown Vancouver will resonate with music this weekend as the 2017 Vancouver Celtic Festival kicks off on St. Patrick’s Day, Friday March 17. Vancouver’s Robson Square is the center of the action …
Read more “Shamrocks and Thistles, bagpipes and bodhran’s in downtown Vancouver”
We all knew it was coming, and now it’s official. After a long career as Vancouver’s go-to bagpipe doctor, Mike McDonald is retiring. In a letter to customers, he says he is going to  “try to take advantage of the so called Golden years. To this end, I have enjoyed the business and opportunity to …
Read more “The End of an Era at Vancouver’s Bagpipe Repair Shop”