Festival Name: Arizona Highland Celtic Festival

Location: Fort Tuthill County Park

Details: The location of this festival is beautiful! However, the location of the athletics was less than desirable. The athletics were held in a rodeo arena which was removed from the rest of the festival, so unfortunately, there were no spectators. In addition, we threw on dirt with no platforms and it was really hot this year, and there was no shaded areas. 

We had heard that in the past, the location of the athletics was closer to the festival, which was increased spectators and was not on dirt.

Festival Name: Tucson Celtic Festival and Highland Games

Location: Rillito Raceway Park

Details: We had such a great time at the Tucson Highland Games! The weather was perfect in November and the games were run smoothly. The festival was well attended and many were cheering on the athletes, which is always fun!

Tucson was the best way to end our 2024 season.

Festival Name: The Ouachita Highland Games

Location: Cedar Glades Park

Details: The Ouachita Games were a fun game for sure! It was not a festival, but there were a few food trucks and vendors at the Park. It was really warm and humid, which made for a long day throwing, but the location was beautiful and the company, as always, was amazing! 

Festival Name: Kern County Scottish Games

Location: Kern County Fairgrounds

Details: These are a fun, smaller game and draws competitors from Northern and Southern California since it's in the middle of the state. These games are a great way to kick off a season and shake off the dust from the winter break!

And if you click on the games link above and scroll down, you might see a familiar face!

Festival Name: Scottish Fest

Location: OC Fairground and Event Center

Details: This is definitely a fun game to attend! The Pro's throw over the two-day weekend, and the field is on the smaller side, but the Festival is well attended! 

The year after we attended the athletics were run by a different group, so we can't speak to how it is run today.

Festival Name: Fresno Scottish Gathering & Games

Location: Kearny Park

Details: Even though we live in Santa Cruz now, we were both raised in Fresno. We still have a lot of family that lives there, including our daughter, son-in-law and 3 beautiful grandkids! 

The Fresno game is a smaller, one-day festival but always draws a good crowd. It can still be hot in Fresno in September, but they usually set up the trigs to maximize the shade that is available. To us, this festival is always fun, low-key and competitive!

Festival Name: San Diego Scottish Highland Games

Location: Brengle Terrace Park - Vista, CA

Details: These games were really fun and the crowd was amazing! The events are a on seperate areas, instead of being on one field. Hammers were in one area with Stones and Weights. Sheaf and WOB were next to each other on a baseball field and caber was completely separate. It was much warmer that year than we expected, but we did take time to go see the 'Top Gun House' while we were there!

Festival Name: Hankslam Rondo - Ron McKee Memorial Games

Location: Shaffer Park

Details: These are the games that our club Shaffer Park Throwing Club hosts!

It's a sanctioned game, but not part of a festival. Last year we had 45 athletes participate, which is close to the maximum number we can accommodate. We provide delicious BBQ, baby sheaf prizes and compete in Sheaf for Distance, since our standards aren't high enough. 

Athletes that come have said that they have a great time and always want to come back!

Festival Name: Ryan Vierra Highland Games Classic

Location: 

Details: Michael competed in this memorial game in 2021, before Carrie started throwing. It was a great family event and the perfect way to remember Ryan Vierra who had passed a few months prior.

They will be hosting another event in 2025 as a benefit for scholarships. Once we have more information on this event, we will share here and on our social pages.

Festival Name: Seaside Highland Games

Location: Ventura County Fairgrounds

Details: This highland game has the most beautiful background. From the field, you can see Palm Trees and the ocean! The competition is held on dirt, but platforms are used. It's a large festival and there are grandstands for the crowd to sit and stay awhile!

Festival Name: NorCal Celtic Festival

Location: Downtown Woodland

Details: This festival is one in Northern California that was added back to the schedule! It's a free event in the downtown area of Woodland. The Athletics field was a few blocks away from the mainstage, but many people took the walk down to watch.

We imagine that in the coming years that the athletics will just get bigger and better! We are looking forward to see that happen!

And...if you have never been to Downtown Woodland, it's very cute with alot of really good places to eat!

Festival Name: Pikes Peak Celtic Festival

Location: Western Museum of Mining & Industry

Details: This festival was beautiful! The location was perfect and the competition was solid. We have college friends that live near Colorado Springs so we actually spent the week with them, which was the highlight, but games did not disappoint!

Unfortuanely, they had to cancel the games in 2024, but expect to bring them back in 2025!

Festival Name: 2024 Scottish Masters Athletics International World Championships

Location: Clay County Fairgrounds

Details: Masters World Championships are an unforgettable experience! The entire weekend, starting Friday night was filled with fun, food, friends and throwing heavy things, of course. MWC changes locations each year and you must apply and be accepted to attend. Our goal was to not come in last, we didn't! 

Festival Name: Hawaiian Scottish Festival & Highland Games

Location: Thomas Jefferson Elementary

Details: This was Carrie's first-ever Highland Games and it was the perfect place for it! 3 blocks from the beach, whether she did terrible or great, it was a vacation to Hawaii! The games were quite small, which was nice, and we met a lot of throwers from Alaska that year, along with Jake & Heather from Northern California that we see all the time!

If you have never been to Hawaii, this is the perfect excuse to go!

Festival Name: Fort Boise Highland Games & Fell Race

Location: Old Fort Boise Replica & Museum

Details: Despite the unusually chilly weather, this event was an incredible way to kick off the year! We were prepared with jackets and hand warmers, and the positive energy kept us warm. The games were well-organized, the athlete list was full of amazing people, and best of all, every dollar raised went to support the local DAV. A perfect season opener—couldn’t have asked for more!

Festival Name: Bitterroot Celtic Games & Gathering

Location: Daly Mansion

Details: Love, love, love this game. Not only was the location beautiful and green, there were trees and shade everywhere! The festival was large and well attended with some of the best spectators we have seen. The events were broken up across the entire festival, which made for a more intimate setting for the competitors and spectators. 

Festival Name: Las Vegas Celtic Festival & Highland Games

Location: Craig Ranch Park

Details: As you can see, we have been to this game a few times. Michael on his own in 2021 and us together in 2023 and 2024. We love this game for a few reasons; 

• It's a big festival with lots of athletes & spectators.

• Most of our throwing crew usually goes.

• It's a short flight from San Jose to get there.

• It's Vegas Baby!

Festival Name: Great Basin Scottish Highland Games

Location: Gandolfo Arena

Details: This festival and game is on the smaller side. There was a nice turn out of spectators, but only a few vendors and food trucks. The arena is all dirt, but there are platforms for some of the events.

In 2024, there was snow! Some athletes got stuck in Reno, while others couldn't get there. In 2025, these games have been moved to September 13th and 14th.

Festival Name: Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival

Location: Balloon Fiesta Park

Details: This is a festival that we highly recommend! It was a big festival with a lot of athletes. It was well run too! They provided us with breakfast and lunch during the games, along with a Friday evening BBQ! 

One of the things that we liked was that there was multiple trigs/standards for each event. There was no waiting around for one group to finish before your group could start, which made it move quickly and smoothly.

Festival Name: Scotfest

Location: Unknown for 2025

Details: The first year we went to Scotfest in 2023, it was amazing! The festival was large, well attended, with a lot of athletes. There was a large tent for the athletes and lunch was provided, which is always nice!

In 2024, the location was moved due to some construction. The new location itself was wonderful, but there wasn't much parking. The festival ran a bus to and from multiple parking locations across the city, but between the new location and the heat, it was not well attended by spectators. 

We hope that 2025 will be a good as past years, as we will always compete here since Carrie's family live there!

Festival Name: Sherman Celtic Festival & Highland Games

Location: Pecan Grove Park

Details: This was our first game of the 2024 Season. We had such a fun time and it was a great festival! It was the perfect way to start the season, as it was low key, but still very competitive. 

Will we go back? Yes, but there are other destinations we will get to first.

Festival Name: Utah Scottish Festival & Highland Games

Location: Utah State Fair Park

Details: We had a fun time throwing at this festival. The festival itself is really large and there was a great turn out of spectators. As you can see in the photo, we both placed 3rd, which always makes for a good day!