Mike MacDonald - Master of Ceremonies, Main Stage

Piper Mike MacDonald‘s adventures with the bagpipes began in the early 1990’s. After attending the Montreal Highland Games and experiencing the massed pipe bands at age 14, he returned home to Squamish, BC and began lessons with the local provincial court judge, Ian Walker. From those Monday afternoon lessons, Mike joined the Squamish Diamond Head Legion Pipe Band (now called Black Tusk Caledonia Pipe Band) after his grandfather’s pipes were shipped to him from Montreal.

In 1996, Mike joined well known local Vancouver punk band “The Real McKenzies” and travelled North America for the next three years. From the punk band, Mike shifted gears and became the resident piper at Tokyo Disneyland as the Fantasyland Bagpiper. Once back in Canada, he joined the Vancouver Police Pipe Band and travelled to Berlin, Switzerland, Las Vegas, San Diego, Portugal, Italy, France, and for the 100th anniversary of the VPD pipe band in 2014, they were the Queen’s Guard at both Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.

Mike is also locally known for another reason. For 17-years, he was the bagpiper seen by many at GM Place, (Rogers Arena) following every Canucks, Grizzlies, and BC Lions games

Rod MacBeth - Master of Ceremonies, Ceilidh Stage

When he’s not behind a microphone, you’ll find Rod with his young son skateboarding, playing lacrosse, skating, swimming, playing football or just having fun. Rod is a veteran of Canadian radio, having worked in Calgary, Winnipeg and Vancouver.  His relatives emigrated from Scotland to Canada in the 1800's. They landed in Hudson's Bay and spread out to the US and others to Manitoba. Rod is your host on the Ceilidh Stage on Friday, June 14 and all day Saturday, June 15, keeping things moving on our new Ceilidh Stage. Joining him will be Sarah Ann Chisholm, a Nova Scotia native, who will be the musician wrangler for the Games, assisting with some of the stage duties and marshaling bands and musicians.