The problem this year for the Cobourg Highland Games was a persistent downpour followed by intermittent rains.
The turnout was naturally diminished and many events were moved or cancelled. And so Cobourg’s Highland Games joins other Ontario cities whose games have been effected by fickle weather in the past 3-5 years. More extreme variance in weather patterns is one of the consequences of Global Warming and the summer Highland Games in Ontario have seen their share of “weather variances”.
Just as one of the bands band gathers another deluge opens up
The Cobourg Highland Games normally has a gathering of the bands that starts with a parade through downtown and then off to the Games in nearby Donegan Park. It was here that we saw the indomitable spirit of the Pipes and Bands gathered for the games. But as you can see above just getting ready for the march was a game of nip and tuck with the rain.
Dodging the Deluge
Your faithful reporter watched the skirmish between the weather and the bands. It was a back and forth fray.
[jj-ngg-jquery-cycle html_id=”jjcycle1″ gallery=”49″ width=”750″ height=”570″ timeout=”5500″ speed=”1000″ fit=”0″ pause=’1′]Everytime the rain eased down to a drizzle; the pipers and crew were back out only to be greeted with another downpour. This was Lucie=Rain and Charlie Brown=Band Players in action. One had to chuckle as the band played on with the rain. But give the band people credit, they quickly learned what were the best refuges from the rain’s fickle fury.
And despite the allure of some great English Chops Shops right on King Street, the band crews remained steadfast.
Nonetheless despite the refuges the bands slowly but surely got drenched And your reporter can testify to that fact because he was thoroughly doused too. However, another problem was that the band’s gear and equipment also got drenched:
[jj-ngg-jquery-cycle html_id=”jjcycle2″ gallery=”50″ width=”750″ height=”570″ timeout=”5500″ speed=”1000″ fit=”0″ pause=’1′]So maybe that along with a steady drizzle spurred the bands into action.
[jj-ngg-jquery-cycle html_id=”jjcycle2″ gallery=”50″ width=”750″ height=”570″ timeout=”5500″ speed=”1000″ fit=”0″ pause=’1′] Within 5 minutes, the band teams had gathered and then started down the street.It was at this point that your reporter and photographer discovered what he was missing:
A little righthand assistance.
But as noted at the outset, the determination and dedication of the Scottish Pipes and Bands was a sight to behold on this Cobourg Highland Games day.