The Utah Scottish Festival and Highland Games were held began Friday and will wrap up today at the Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City.
According to the Utah Scottish Association, the Utah Scottish Festival and Highland Games has become one of Salt Lake’s premier cultural events, attracting thousands of visitors each year. Featuring world-class competitors, popular regional and international musical acts and plenty of family history.
“Over fifty years of honoring our Scottish community here in Utah is quite the accomplishment,” said Mary McLarty, president of the Utah Scottish Association. “This 50th celebration honors not only the Scottish heritage of our community, but also all of the volunteers who have put in countless hours to make this festival possible.”
“From humble beginnings at Murray Park in the 1970s, to going fully virtual in 2020 and having to skip some years due to financial strain, celebrating the 50th running of this festival is a testament to the resilience of our Scottish community here in Utah,” said McLarty. ”Our event has grown substantially over the years and hitting this milestone is a major win, as each board member of the Utah Scottish Association or festival committee member has volunteered their time and energy to make the event successful year after year.”
This year’s festival included performances by popular performers Wicked Tinkers, Men of Worth, AML Trio, Shannon Stuart and The Reel Folk, An Rogaire Dubh, and a dedicated children’s area with games and activities for families to enjoy.
Highlights of the event included:
● The Women’s U.S. Pro Nationals Highland Athletics competition, along with both men’s and women’s competitions from amateur to masters. Witness feats of strength from 150 competitors per day, including several record-setting athletes and world champions
● The first annual Utah Scottish Festival Open Championship, Utah’s first international highland dance championships.
● A pipe band competition including 11 pipe bands and over 190 individual competitors representing bands from all across the U.S. from grade 5 all the way up to grade 1, the highest level of skill for pipe bands.
● A clan village featuring 18 clans from across Scotland sharing their families history and the roles that their clans played in making Scotland what it is today and how
● The Kirkin’ O’ The Tartan on Sunday, a church service and blessing over the clans and their tartans.
Tickets are available now at utahscots.org, with children 11 and under entering for free.