Skip Sickler / Courtesy of Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation
The Grandfather Mountain Highland Games returns to MacRae Meadows.
The Grandfather Mountain Highland Games are under way at MacRae Meadows through Sunday, July 9.
This marks the 67th year for the historic celebration of Scottish ancestry and heritage, with the popular festival bringing a “wee bit o’ Scotland” to the High Country.
Grandfather Mountain offers a distinct backdrop to these games that is not so different from the original Braemar Gathering that inspired the founders of the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games decades ago.
The games officially began with the Torch Light Ceremony on Thursday evening. Friday offers a full day of activities with Highland dance competitions, Celtic Grove music performances, a children’s caber toss clinic, amateur heavy athletics and the Celtic Rock Concert that night.
Athletic events are repeated Sunday for amateurs and athletes 40 and older, in addition to the Parade of Tartans, kilted running events, children’s events and the Clan Tug of War. The weekend’s programming concludes Sunday afternoon with the closing ceremonies.
To learn more about admission to the 2023 Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, including parking and shuttle bus information, call 828-733-1333 or visit www.gmhg.org. For lodging and travel information, contact the N.C. High Country Host Regional Visitor Center at 800-438-7500 or visit www.highcountryhost.com.
The nonprofit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation strives to inspire conservation of the natural world by helping guests explore, understand and value the wonders of Grandfather Mountain. For more information, visit www.grandfather.com.