Growing Waipu Highland Games require extra stage

Ted Hart, left, and Australian entrant Cameron McCormick get the cabers ready for the Waipu Highland Games on New Year's Day. Photo / John Stone

Organisers of Waipu's annual spectacle this year have added an extra stage to cater for spontaneous activities among a feast of all things Scottish.

Preparations are well under way for the 146th Waipu Highland Games at Caledonian Park on New Year's Day. It begins with a Grand March at 9am followed by kilts, pipers, dancers, singing, heavyweight games, ancestry, food, competitions and entertainment.

Olympian Jacko Gill's participation in the heavyweight competition among experienced competitors is likely to be followed with keen interest.

The heavyweight competitions hark back to a time when Scottish kings and clan chiefs assessed the agility, cunning and physical strength of their soldiers.

The forecast for Sunday is for clear skies with temperatures in the high 20s.

Games' spokeswoman Pat Hadlee said that even after more than a century, the event seemed to evolve each year in terms of preparation and visitor numbers.

She said 40 volunteers, mostly from Waipu including four provided by Volunteer Northland, will help out on Sunday.

"This year we do have an extra stage and anybody who wants to do a gig on stage can do it. It's very casual but it will be very spontaneous and dynamic.

"The Ballistic Blondes Skydive team will be landing in their kilts and this year we'll have a vintage Packard car from the Pioneer and Packard Museum, the Artan Tartan promoting their stuff, and the Waipu Cycleway group selling raffle tickets."

Ms Hadlee said the Waipu Caledonian Society hoped to host the World Highland Games in 2020, a massive event for the town.

People can dress up for the Tartan in the Park fashion event with prizes for best dressed.

The gates at Caledonian Park open at 9am on Sunday and there will be a traditional ceilidh in the Celtic Barn on New Year's night.

Lovers of highland piping can get a pre-games fix on New Year's Eve at the Helen McGregor Memorial Medley at the Celtic Barn at 7pm.

For more details check out www.waipugames.co.nz.

Entry is free for under 17s, adults are $15.