Melbourne Highland Games & Celtic Festival

The Melbourne Highland Games & Celtic Festival is a gathering in the tradition of the Highland games held in Scotland and other countries to celebrate Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage. In their original form many centuries ago, Highland games revolved around athletic and sports competitions.

Through these competitions the finest athletes were identified. The games were also a way for the clans to demonstrate their relative strength to each other without actually having to go to war.

The bagpipe symbolises music at our Games and, indeed, in Scotland itself. In addition to the massed bands, our gatherings feature a wide range of piping and drumming competition, including solo piping and drumming, small group ensembles and, of course, the pipe bands themselves.