Ottawa, Canada’s capital city, is a beautiful destination in Southeast Ontario that features a rich history blended with a booming tech industry, all to create a unique environment for travelers. Visitors will love the city’s festivals, restaurants, architecture, and variety of live entertainment options.
Hogman-eh! is a Scottish themed New Year’s Eve Celebration that has gained a dedicated following of thousands of people in only five years. The event is held at the Aberdeen Pavilion, which is just south of the Parliament buildings in The Glebe neighborhood. It’s an all ages event that features a night full of Scottish music, dancing performances, and food. Kids of all ages will love the Great Scot Kids Zone, which features plenty of great games and activities. Attendees of Hogman-eh will get the chance to ring in the New Year twice and is a great option for families and those who want to celebrate, but don't necessarily want to stay up all night. We got the chance to interview event representative, Sue MacGregor, about this unique New Year's Eve celebration.
RAL: How long has the event been running?
SM: 2016 marks the 5th year for the event.
RAL: How many annual participants do you draw?
SM: About 8,000 people come through the Aberdeen Pavillion in the course of the evening, but at any given time there's about 2,000 - and they're all having a good time!
RAL: What is the typical demographic makeup of the event? Children? Families? Couples?
SM: This event attracts people of all ages and participation varies according to the time of the evening.
RAL: What makes this event unique?
SM: Hogman-eh! is New Year’s Eve Scottish Style! It is an event where everyone is welcome, and admission is free thanks to our major sponsors TD, Province of Ontario, Labatt, Employment Ontario, and Bell. People can come dressed up in their kilts (if they have them), jeans, fancy attire – anything goes! There is an outdoor skating rink behind the Aberdeen Pavilion with heated changing huts as well. And bring your dancing shoes – our live Celtic music line up is sure to inspire everyone!
New this year: The Scottish Diaspora Tapestry pre-exhibit will also be open from 5:00-9:00 pm next door in the Horticulture Building. The SSO is hosting the Scottish Diaspora Tapestry Exhibition on its final leg of the North American tour in Ottawa. It will make its debut December 31st. The full exhibit will then be on display at the Main Branch of the Ottawa Public Library during regular library hours from January 3-25, 2017, as part of Scottish Month in Ottawa.
RAL: Take me through a day at the event.
SM: The doors open at 4:45 pm and people can come and go as they please. The Great Scot! Kidzone is open from 5:00-8:00 pm with a host of activities for all – Great Celtic music, Highland and Aboriginal dancers, free face painting, jugglers, light spinners, a magician, great music, bagpipes and more!
People can ring in the New Year twice. The first time is at 7:00 pm (midnight in Scotland) when the KidsZone festivities reach their peak with a piper-led march of the kids to the main stage balloon drop. Then, either get the kiddies to bed, or carry on with live music on the main stage, and visit our Marketplace vendors for food, drink, and whisky tasting throughout the event until Auld Lang Syne ends the set by the famous Cape Brenton band, The Barra MacNeils at midnight. After that, we’ll all go outside for fireworks to end the evening and welcome the New Year with a bang!
RAL: Is there maybe one place in particular that guests have been flocking to since the event started?
SM: The Lord Elgin Hotel is one of our event sponsors. It’s a great hotel, and about a $16 cab ride, or ride the bus to the event from anywhere in Ottawa, which is free after 4:30 pm.
RAL: What does this event mean to the community?
SM: The Scottish Society of Ottawa was established to rekindle the links between the National Capital Region and Scotland. The organization hosts a number of events every year, from the Great Sir John A. Macdonald Kilt Skate on the Rideau Canal in January to the flagship New Year's Eve event, Hogmanay, which attracted 8,000 people last year.
Hogmanay is an annual, free, family-friendly celebration for the people of Ottawa to welcome in the New Year. It is Scottish-themed, with music, skating, fireworks, Highland dancing, food, and Scotch-tasting. The idea is to introduce new generations to the arts and culture of Scotland. The event is Scottish themed, but the audience comes from all cultural communities in the capital.
RAL: Why should people come to your event?
SM: Hogman-eh! will be lots of fun, admission is free, and it will be warm inside at the Aberdeen Pavilion!
For more information about Hogman-eh, please visit their website.