The Summerside Highland Games will return in 2011.
Karen Hatcher, executive director of the College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts, told members of the Rotary Club of Charlottetown Monday the games will be held next June.
The games, which take place on the grounds of the college, have not been held since 2008.
The return of the games is just one of the exciting developments on the horizon for the college.
Hatcher told Rotarians the college is also expanding the reach of its programming.
Beginning this fall, stepdancing instruction will be offered by the college at the APM Centre in Cornwall.
The college expanded its course offerings to Charlottetown a number of years ago and continues to provide instruction in Highland drumming, stepdancing and bagpiping at Trinity United Church.
Hatcher encouraged Rotarians to think about taking lessons and to encourage others to take advantage of the programs the college offers.
"It's never too late to start learning to play the bagpipes or to learn Highland drumming or to learn to stepdance," said Hatcher, who is herself a respected piper who has performed extensively in Canada and abroad.
She also took the opportunity to pitch the college's program of free instruction in bagpiping and Highland dancing for those between the ages of eight and 18.
Anyone between those ages can take lessons at no charge thanks to the generosity of a benefactor of the college who believes strongly in what they are doing.
Hatcher, who stressed she's in for the long haul, said it was exciting time to be at the college.
The college, she says, has so much to offer.
Not only is it a respected teaching facility, it is also a fine performance venue with two shows on deck this summer, Highland Storm and Ceilidh at the College, plus daily mini-concerts.
Hatcher said the college has also become, over time, a tourist attraction drawing some 12000 visitors between July and August.
The college is growing but it needs the support of the Island community to become more self-sustaining.
"We need help, we need to grow, we need to sustain," Hatcher said.
