Highland Games in Florida

Every year, the third weekend of January, the Highland Games are celebrated in Central Florida. This all-traditional event is organized by the Scottish-American Society of Central Florida, founded in 1976.

More than 60 clans put up their tents to showcase their roots. Some, like clan Wallace and Clan MacKenzie, share their history and exhibit their coats of arms along with many other medieval artifacts. Others, like clan Buchanan, bring some scotch to celebrate their name and good taste.

Whether you have a warrior spirit or a dancing soul, there are tons of activities to enjoy. For the tough ones, there are games such as weight for height, open stone put, hammer throw, and caber toss. If you are into all this, you cannot miss the duel between armored knights with swords and hammers in the Medieval arena. You will be amazed!

If strength is not your thing, you could go test your marksmanship visiting the archery and axe throwing arenas. It’s not as easy as it seems but after a few tries, you’ll hit the bullseye.

Of course, the highland games it’s not only about athletics and war-oriented activities, folk music and dance play a big role as well. Since the moment you arrive, you will listen to the Great Highland bagpipe playing all around the place. Following the rhythm of the bagpipe, you find the Highland Dance competition. Different styles like the Highland Fling (solo dance that was danced upon a shield with a spike in the middle), the Sword Dance, and the Scottish Lilt (national female dance) will trial the precise foot placement of the dancers on stage.

If you need a break from all the action, grab a seat on the grass and enjoy the sheep herding demonstrations of the working Border Collie. These energetic and intelligent dogs have been the right hand of the sheep farmer for centuries and here you will be able to see them in action!

Last but not least, don’t forget to buy your kilt and beer jar to refill all day while you listen to some Celtic Rock. When hunger strikes, go try some traditional haggis, the national dish of Scotland. This is a type of pudding composed of the liver, heart, and lungs of a sheep minced and mixed with beef or mutton suet and oatmeal, which is packed into a sheep's stomach and boiled (it doesn’t sound so good, I know, but after you try it is not so bad).