Scottish Highland Gathering & Games Come To Alameda County Fairgrounds

PLEASANTON, CA — Grab your kilts and bagpipes: the Highland Games are coming to town.

The Alameda County Fairgrounds will host the 156th Scottish Highland Gathering and Games, a two-day celebration of all things Scottish. On Saturday and Sunday, lairds and ladies can enjoy:

• The “Heavy Events World Championship”, featuring competitions in hurling, the caber toss, the kilted mile, re-enactments of Scottish history, and more
• Highland Dance performances and competitions
• The Kilted Mile, a 1-mile race that is the only kilted running event in California.
• The Grandstand Show, featuring performances by the 1st Division Marine Band and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Pipe Band
• Piping and drumming competitions
• 5-A side football tournament.
• Birds of Prey Exhibition featuring eagles, hawks, owls, and falcons.
• Celtic Animals showcasing horses, cows, sheep, dogs, and more.
• Celtic Heritage performances including Scottish and Irish dance, harpists, and fiddlers.
• British classic cars, including Aston Martin, MG, Morgans, and more.
• Scottish musical performances
• The Living History costumed re-enactment of important events in Scottish history.
• Sheepdog Trials, where audiences can watch border collies manage sheep.
• Scottish and Celtic vendors
• Whisky tasting
• Highland Titles that bestow honorary Scottish titles that preside over plots of land in Scotland

The games reenact heavy athletic events that have taken place in Scotland for at least 1,000 years. The Highland Games were started in 1866 by the Caledonian Club of San Francisco to celebrate that heritage. They were first held in San Francisco, then Sausalito, then Oakland. In 1962 they moved to Santa Rosa, and in 1994 moved to the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton. On Labor Day Weekend, the Sesquicentennial games drew crowds of up to 50,000, the largest Scottish gathering in the United States.

Tickets cost $30 for single-day admission for adults, and $15 for seniors and youth. Children 11 and under and military personnel get in free. Two-day adult admission is $45. Tickets must also be purchased for whisky tasting and buffet-style lunch. See here to purchase.

Unfortunately, the weather this weekend will not resemble the cool, misty moors of Scotland: temperatures are expected to climb to record highs over 100. The games said that emergency medical services will be on-call. They posted a number of hot-weather tips, including drinking plenty of water, seeking shade, wearing a hat, and more.

For all other information, visit thescottishgames.com.