The event is a fun, family-friendly festival putting Scottish culture, music, history, and athletics on display. Imagine 80 world-class athletes, clad in colorful kilts, tossing cabers and more as they compete in seven ancient tests of strength and skill…Indy’s best, award-winning bagpipers strolling the grounds playing Scottish favorites…the beautiful velvet and silks are worn by the Royal Court as they bless the games, receive visitors and confer knighthood on deserving “subjects”…All this and more greet visitors at beautiful German Park on the south side of Indianapolis.
A different period of Scottish history is chosen each year for a theme for the festival village, and the Tudor Rose Players portray the royal court from that period (early to mid-1700s). The festival includes all things Scottish: traditional dancing, a marketplace, food and clan tents where visitors can explore their family history or choose to adopt a clan if they are not fortunate enough to have Scottish blood. The event also features a music festival, with Scottish and Celtic music being played throughout the day by well-known local and regional musical acts. Children’s activities, including a Scottish quest, are integrated into the festival. The Scottish Society maintains an information area with displays celebrating and educating guests about the impact of Scottish history, ideas, arts, traditions, food, and culture. The highland games are one the largest non-sanctioned athletic events of its type in the country, and several world records are set each year.