24/05/2026
As you’ve seen, most of our team is in Europe leading tours or preparing to welcome a new group of travelers. But last weekend, Kelly, who is still in the US and dreaming of her summer travels, was able to vicariously travel to Scotland by attending the Smoky Mountain Scottish Festival and Games, in Townsend, TN.
The Festival included piping competitions, dance competitions, clan booths, food stalls (with Irn Bru!!), a sheepdog demonstration, music performances, games for kids, heavy throwing events (including the caber), and more!
These Games are one of the oldest Scottish festivals in the US, and the oldest in Tennessee, having been founded in 1981. Scottish ancestry runs deep here, with a majority of Americans of Scottish or Scots-Irish descent living in Appalachia, the South, and New England. In fact, one in five (!!) Tennesseans can trace their roots to Scots-Irish immigrants in west North Carolina and East Tennessee in the 1700s. Across the US, it is estimated that 20-25 million Americans have Scottish ancestry; 5 million Americans claimed Scottish heritage on the last US census.
That’s all to say that while it might seem odd to have a vibrant, multi-day Highland Games in East Tennessee, it actually makes lots of sense! If you’re yearning for the sound of bagpipes, lots of tartan, Scotland more generally, or even a bit of European culture, see if there’s a Games near you this summer. And of course, you can always join us on our Heart of Scotland Experience, where we will attend a Highland Games!
