New England Scottish & Highland Games 2026: A Complete Guide
From June through October, the skirl of bagpipes carries across New England as town greens, ski resorts, and fairgrounds host Scottish and Highland games — caber tosses, massed pipe bands, clan villages, Highland dancing, and whisky tastings. Here's the 2026 lineup across the region.
The 2026 New England Scottish & Highland games calendar
Listed by date:
- Vermont Highland Games & Celtic Arts Festival — Greensboro, VT — June 13, 2026
- Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival — Northampton, MA — July 18, 2026
- Maine Highland Games & Scottish Festival — Windsor, ME — August 8, 2026
- Quechee Scottish Games & Festival — Hartford, VT — August 29, 2026
- New Hampshire Highland Games & Festival — Lincoln, NH — September 18–20, 2026
- Scotland Connecticut Highland Games — Brooklyn, CT — October 10, 2026
The Western Maine Scottish Festival & Highland Games, an inaugural event from the Scottish Society of Maine, is also slated for October 10, 2026 (venue to be confirmed).
The big three
New Hampshire Highland Games & Festival (Loon Mountain, Lincoln) is the giant — New England's largest Scottish celebration, a three-day, 51st-year event. Maine Highland Games (Windsor) marks its 47th year in 2026, and Glasgow Lands (Northampton) — Massachusetts' only Scottish festival and New England's second largest — celebrates 31 years with around 40 pipe bands.
Cluster deep-dives
We've published full visitor's guides to the three marquee festivals:
- New Hampshire Highland Games & Festival 2026: Visitor's Guide
- Maine Highland Games & Scottish Festival 2026: Visitor's Guide
- Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival 2026: Visitor's Guide
Q: How many Scottish festivals are in New England?
In 2026, MMATF tracks at least seven Scottish and Highland games across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont (two), Maine (two), and Connecticut, running from June through October.
Q: Which is the biggest Scottish festival in New England?
The New Hampshire Highland Games & Festival at Loon Mountain, presented by NHSCOT, is New England's largest and one of the biggest in North America. Glasgow Lands in Massachusetts is the second largest.
Q: When is Scottish festival season in New England?
It runs from June into October — opening with the Vermont Highland Games in June, peaking with Glasgow Lands (July), the Maine Highland Games (August), and the NH Highland Games (September), and closing with the Scotland Connecticut Highland Games in October.
Q: What happens at a Highland games?
Expect Highland heavy athletics (caber toss, hammer throw, stone put), massed pipe bands and piping competitions, Highland dance, clan villages, sheepdog trials, Scottish food, whisky tastings, and Celtic music.
Last updated: June 2026
