Frederictonian skaters don Scottish kilts despite freezing temperatures

David McKinley can play the bagpipes while skating with a kilt on — even when it feels like –25 degrees in Fredericton.

He proved that to be true while celebrating the city's third annual kilted skate event at Officers' Square alongside a few dozen others Saturday afternoon.

"It must be my Scottish heritage. I am stubborn, I guess," he joked, while proudly wearing his family tartan.

"I am a third generation Canadian coming from Scotland."

Organized by the Fredericton Society of Saint Andrew, the skating event marked Robert Burns Day, an annual celebration that falls on Jan. 25 to commemorate the life and legacy of Scotland's national poet.

McKinley said this year's event was the coldest one yet. Bagpiping in this weather is difficult, he said, because both his face and hands get extremely cold.

"You can't maintain a seal on your bagpipes, so you're blown by the pipe."

However, he still managed to gain some popularity on social media through his tunes.

"I noticed my pictures on a few people's Facebook profiles I don't even know, of me playing here at the oval," he said.

He said he has fun at the event every year, and his favourite part is being able to wear his family's tartan.

Mike Romard, who was also out skating, said he's wanted to buy a kilt since he was 11.

"They're beautiful garments," he said.

He became interested in the outfit after learning about his Scottish heritage at a young age and is now learning to speak Gaelic, he said.

Romard said it felt nice to see people gather for something they care about.

Cynthia Wallace-Casey, president of the Fredericton Society of Saint Andrew, said the idea came from a similar event that started in Ottawa a decade ago.

"We have combined that with FROSTival events that are happening here in the city," she said.

FROSTival is a three-weekend long event consisting of indoor and outdoor winter activities in Fredericton.

Saturday's skating event also offered food, music and dance performances.

Wallace-Casey said this weekend's cold temperatures won't stop her community from celebrating their heritage in high spirits.

"We are tough Canadians — we enjoy the winters and the cold," she said.