Embracing Scottish Tradition: The Glengarry Highland Games

July 17, 2025

Cornwall, ON – The much-awaited Glengarry Highland Games returns for the 76^th year.

Since the first Games were held in 1948, the people of Glengarry have extended close to a million welcomes to visitors who come to see what is estimated to be one of the largest Highland Games in the world. Thousands of people find themselves drawn each year to Maxville to witness an outstanding display of music, dance, sports, fiddling, pageantry, and tradition.

The Highland games feature a multitude of competitions such as highland dancing, tug of war, heavyweights, piping and drumming, and rugby.

There will also be entertainment from various artists at the Metcalfe Centre, the Arena Hall, and in The Tent. Some of these artists include the Ceilidh Drovers, the Glengarry Girls Choir, and the area’s famous County Lads.

Friday Starts off the Excitement

Friday starts off with a pre-premier Highland Dancing Competition at 8am. This is followed by the Amateur Heavyweight Competition and the Solo Piping & Drumming Competitions.

Don’t miss the Tug-of-War between North and South Glengarry at 5pm.

Friday is capped off with the massed bands at the spectacular Friday Night Tattoo, an evening of pageantry and music capped off with a dazzling display of fireworks.

The night finishes off with the best Celtic entertainment from ‘The Peelers’ and ‘Bang on the Ear’ in the Large Tent and the Metcalfe Centre.

Saturday Ramps up the Action

Wake up nice and early! The 8:30am Rugby Tournament is not to be missed. Next up, you can participate in the Up The Glens 5k Kilt Run. You can also learn how to dance the Ceilidh Two-Step at Clan Building 1 with your friends and family.

This year, the Glengarry Highland Games will be holding its first-ever Juvenile Pipe Band contest. This contest will be featured on the Saturday in pipe band competition circle #1 at 9:30 am. You can catch the Glengarry Juvenile Pipe Band competing against bands from Canada and the United States!

The main event on Saturday is the professional solo piping and drumming competitions, the tenor and bass drum contests, and the pipe band competitions. The massed bands take to the field again at noon for the Official Ceremonies, and then the full complement of fifty-three bands will perform at the Saturday evening closing, where more than 1500 pipers and drummers will fill the infield with a sight and sound that will be remembered long after the last note has faded away.

The night finishes with more entertainment from the live bands ‘Hadrian’s Wall’ and your local favorites, ‘The County Lads’.

Something for Everyone

There is so much more to see and do at the Games – the Tug of War with Canadian Highland military regiments, the gathering of the Clans and their parade, fiddle workshops, the kilt run, whisky tasting, a British car display, and rugby, plus much more. There’s lots to do for the little ones as well with a large Wee Bairns area with face painting, a petting zoo, pony rides, and a kid-sized race car track. Oh, and don’t forget there’s lots of shopping for all things Scottish, from t-shirts to fine jewelry and woolens, and of course, kilts. Credit cards and debit cards are preferred.

Saluting our Beginning

The Games will also be welcoming back those lifelong fans who attended the first Games in 1948 and will salute them at the Games Official Ceremonies on Saturday. The Glengarry Highland Games welcomes Colin Patrick MacDonell of Glengarry, the 24th hereditary Chief of Glengarry, as the Guest of Honour for the 2025 Games.

The Clans are Gathering

To learn more about the history of the Scots in Glengarry, in Canada, and abroad, stop by the Clan Buildings and visit over 30 clan societies and heritage organizations and their exhibits. Then catch the Clan Parade on the infield at 12:00pm on Saturday, just before the Official Ceremonies. All are welcome to join the gathered clans and take part in the Clan Parade by presenting themselves to the Clan Buildings at 11:30 AM.

Additional Information

For any additional information, please visit the Glengarry Highland Games website.

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