HALIFAX AND ANTIGONISH HIGHLAND GAMES SWITCHING DATES

The Chairman of the Halifax Highland Games and Scottish Festival and the President of the Antigonish Highland Society today announced their agreement on switching dates to avoid future scheduling conflicts between the Antigonish Highland Games and the IWK 250 held annually at Riverside Speedway outside Antigonish on the third weekend in July.

Due to the unavailability of NASCAR drivers on any other weekend in the summer, the IWK 250 has to be staged on the third weekend in July. As a result Riverside’s biggest attraction and the Antigonish Highland Games have been held on the same weekend for the past four years. The agreement between the Antigonish and Halifax Highland Games organizers will see the two festivals switch weekends. The Antigonish Games will move to the 2nd weekend in July beginning in 2010 with the Halifax Highland Games being held the following weekend. The move is expected to provide the business community in Antigonish with important economic spin-offs by separating two of the area’s most important tourist attractions.

Danny Gillis, president of the Antigonish Highland Society, said “The decision is important economically for Antigonish and so we very much appreciate the willingness of our colleagues in Halifax to understand and respond to our local dilemma. We especially want to thank them because we know very well that it was not an easy decision to make.”

The organizers expressed a desire to work together to ensure the mutual success of both their events by cooperating in other areas such as exploring the sharing of judges for highland dancing and the pipe band events, attracting heavyweight athletes to their venues, and exploring all other avenues for the potential sharing of resources.