The Kingsville version of the games disappeared in the early 1980s
After a decades long absence, the Highland Games are making a return to the region.
Kingsville Council has approved a proposal to revive the games at Lakeside Park next summer.
Committee Chair Doug Plumb says the games, which celebrate the Scottish heritage, were a huge hit in Kingsville for nearly 20 years, but disappeared in the early 1980's.
Plumb says the community has been asking for the games to come back.
"We do have a strong committee. Every committee member is from the Kingsville area and they all bring some great things to the table. I've had a lot of positive feedback from the community that they want to see this come back and it's funny because a lot of people from other towns, they fondly remember it, and it's funny because everybody has a story about the Kingsville games."
He says the games are a big draw in other communities.
"If you try to go to the Fergus Highland Games you'll be hard pressed to find a hotel room in that community. It's very well attended. It's the biggest highland games in southwestern Ontario and the draw that they have to that community is phenomenal."
Highland Games committee chair Doug Plumb presents to Kingsville Council on June 11, 2018 (Photo by AM800's Zander Broeckel)
Plumb says they're expecting visitors from southwestern Ontario, Michigan and as far away as Ohio.
"There's a lot of communities in southwestern Ontario that have them from Kincardine, and now, hopefully all the way down to Kingsville. A lot of the pipe groups, the Windsor Police pipe band, they're one that's local, the London firefighters, groups like that. They'll come to an event and they'll compete."
The games will include all the traditional events like the caber toss, tug-of-war and dance competitions as well as a community breakfast, food trucks, vendors and a beer garden.
The Kingsville Highland Games are scheduled for the weekend of June 22-23, 2019.