What Are the Highland Games?
Highland Games are day-long festivals of Scottish culture: heavy athletes tossing cabers and hammers, massed pipe bands, Highland dancing competitions, clan tents, and Celtic food and music. They began in Scotland centuries ago — and today, some of the largest games in the world happen in the United States.
There are 60 upcoming Highland Games and Scottish events listed across 26 states on Tartan Trail. Next up: Wisconsin Highland Games in Waukesha, WI on Sep 4, 2026.
The heavy events
The signature spectacle. Athletes compete in events unchanged for generations: the caber toss (flipping a 20-foot tapered log end over end), the hammer throw, weight for height (tossing a 56-lb weight over a bar), and the sheaf toss. These aren't displays — they're serious competitions with professional circuits and records.
Piping and Highland dance
Pipe bands compete in graded circles throughout the day, and most games end with a massed bands ceremony — every band playing together, often hundreds of pipers and drummers at once. Highland dancers compete on raised platforms in dances like the Highland Fling and Sword Dance, judged on precision and technique.
Clans, heritage, and food
Clan tents line the field where you can look up your family name, meet society members, and trace genealogy. Vendor rows sell kilts, tartans, and Scottish goods, and the food tents serve meat pies, haggis, shortbread, and Irn-Bru. Many games also include whisky tastings, sheepdog trials, and Celtic concerts.
When are the Highland Games?
In the U.S., the season runs nearly year-round: Burns Suppers kick things off in January, Tartan Day events follow in April, and the main games season runs May through October — peaking in late summer. The biggest American games, like Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina (July) and Pleasanton in California (September), draw tens of thousands of spectators.
Browse games and festivals by state, or read the first-timer's guide.