SDG COUNTIES, Ontario - Every year, the Glengarry Highland Games welcomes a Canadian celebrity to open its annual Scottish festival held in Maxville, Ont. Over the Games’ 77 years, prime ministers and governors general, hockey heroes like Jean Beliveau and John Wensink, and local heroes like Jean and Jim Campbell have done the honours of opening the Games.
This year, the Games are thrilled to announce that fiddler, step dancer, composer, and Glengarry favourite Kelli Trottier will be the 2026 guest of honour.
“The Glengarry Highland Games is very pleased to have the multi-talented Kelli Trottier open this year’s Games," said Games President, Betty McIntosh. "She was born and raised in a nearby hamlet to a musical family and is now teaching and sharing her talent for singing, songwriting, and fiddling across the globe. Kelli has previously performed at our Games and wrote the winning song for our 75th anniversary, 'Mc or Mac'. We look forward to her sharing her time and talent at this year’s opening.”
Born into a musical family, Trottier started step dancing lessons at the age of five and the fiddle at the age of nine. Trottier amassed many dancing and fiddle trophies over those years and in a class of 35 contestants, became The Maritime Fiddle Champ at age 18.
She has played with Red Rose Express, the Bobby Lalonde Band, Wayne Ronstad & the Family Brown and Glengarry’s own Brigadoons. For nine years, she toured much of the world as a featured soloist in the sensational violin and fiddle production, Bowfire.
Trottier is a member of the North America Fiddlers’ Hall of Fame, the Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Fame and the Glengarry Celtic Music Hall of Fames plus being nominated three times for Fiddle Player of the Year by the Canadian Country Music Association. Among her many appearances, Kelli has performed for Canadian soldiers in the Middle East and the Canadian Arctic, entertained 20,000 fans at Ottawa Senators games and performed at Sean Connery’s 80th birthday party.
In addition to her extensive performing experience, Trottier continues to be a highly sought-after instructor and judge of fiddle and stepdance events across Canada and parts of the U.S. Trottier is most proud to have played a part in bringing about National Fiddling Day in Canada in 2015.
“How lucky was I to have grown up in Glengarry County; surrounded by music and Scottish tradition?" said Trottier. "I became a proud member of the Glengarry Old Tyme Fiddlers at the age of nine and though I have lived most of my adult life away, Glengarry will always be my home. It is a tremendous honour to open this year’s Glengarry Highland Games as guest of honour. Our Scottish founding ancestors have to be beaming with pride to see their traditions still thriving and reaching folks worldwide.”
Singing, dancing and playing her way to the top of her musical genre, Trottier is an unforgettable and enchanting artist, consistently delivering performances that raise her stature in the hearts and memories of audiences everywhere.
Join Trottier and thousands of others at this year’s Games for two full days of wall-to-wall Scottish traditional events, the finest in celtic music and all things Scottish. Kelli will be officially opening the Games at noon on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026.