160th Scottish Highland Games Bring World Championships To Pleasanton

PLEASANTON, CA — Grab your kilts, bagpipes, tartan, and tweed, because the 160th annual Scottish Highland Gathering & Games is headed to the Alameda County Fairgrounds.

Since 1866, California's largest and oldest Scottish games have celebrated Scottish competition, culture, and entertainment. On the weekend of Sept. 5-6, the Caledonian Club of San Francisco will celebrate the 160th anniversary with everything from highland dancing to live falconry to the iconic caber toss competition to the Kilted Mile race.

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This year's games will feature several attractions to mark the milestone year, including the 2026 Men's Scottish Heavy Athletics World Championships and the 50th annual U.S. Invitational Heavy Athletic Championships, featuring traditional events like caber tossing, hammer throwing, and stone putting. Adrian Paul, best known for playing Duncan MacLeod in "Highlander: The Series" will join the Games' living-history reenacts and lead Sword Experience classes in sword handling and combat techniques.

The games will kick off Friday, Sept. 4 with a concert at the San Ramon Marriott.

Throughout the weekend, guests can enjoy:

• Heavy athletic competitions like hammer throwing, stone putts, and the caber and sheaf toss
• Traditional highland dancing shows and competitions
• Piping and drumming competitions
• 5-A-Side Football (soccer) competition
• Archery competitions
• Birds of Prey exhibition featuring live eagles, owls, hawks, and falcons
• Celtic Animals exhibition featuring cows, belted Galloways, and the sheepdog trial competition
• Celtic Heritage exhibitions featuring Scottish country dancing, Irish dancing, fiddlers, and more
• Clans & Scottish societies where you can learn about genealogy and Scottish-American heritage in California
• An exhibition of classic British cars like Aston Martins, MGs, Morgans, and more
• Music from Scottish folk singers and Celtic rock and folk bands
• Opening & Closing Ceremonies with hundreds of pipers and drummers playing and marching in unison
• The Kilted Mile race, a free race open to anyone wearing a kilt
• Living History, a live experience simulating life in medieval Scotland
• The Sheepdog Trials, where border collies handle sheep in different situations
• Vendors selling everything from fish & chips, Scottish cuisine, and Celtic jewelry, tartanware, and more
• Whisky tastings

See here for schedules, and here to purchase tickets.