Twenty years isn’t a long tenure when hosting ancient events, but the Greater Moncton Highland Games & Scottish Festival has made its mark in just two decades. The event gained international acclaim in 2022, becoming only the second Canadian event to host the Masters World Championship in heavy athletics.
In 2026, as it marks its 20th annual event, the Greater Moncton Highland Games & Scottish Festival will again make its mark in the field of heavy athletics, becoming the first Highland Games in Canada to host every championship division of the Canadian Scottish Athletic Federation (CSAF).
The 20th annual Greater Moncton Highland Games & Scottish Festival takes place June 9 – 13, 2026, with a series of free community concerts throughout the region. It culminates on Saturday, June 13, with a day-long celebration that blends heritage sports, music, culture, agriculture, and community.
One of Atlantic Canada’s signature summer events
While elite competition will be a major draw, with the 2026 CSAF Men’s Masters Championship on site, the heart of the festival remains its support of local Scottish culture. The day includes highland dance competitions, pipe and drum solo events and pipe band competitions, HEMA sword fighting competitions, the growing 5K Tartan Fun Run, agricultural demonstrations, clan tents, bouncy castles, wagon rides, food vendors, and activities for all ages.
The Ceilidh Tent and community concerts showcase local performers, including Lupin, RCMP Pipes & Drums, Sons of Gael, Fingal’s Rant, Sara & James Nelson, Patricia Murray, Prosser Brook, Dahliah Ave, Farraige, and Corsa.
Organized by the Greater Moncton Scottish Association, the festival has grown into one of Atlantic Canada’s signature summer events. In 2025, attendance climbed to several thousand visitors, more than doubling previous numbers as families, competitors, and visitors from across the region and beyond took part.
For longtime supporters, it is a chance to celebrate how far the festival has come. For first-time visitors, it is an open invitation to discover why the Greater Moncton Highland Games has become a highlight of the region’s summer calendar.
Twenty years in, the tradition is only getting stronger, with some exciting plans for 2027.
For schedules and updates, visit www.monctonhighlandgames.com and follow along on social media, @moncton_scots on Instagram and www.facebook.com/monctonhighlandgame
All images courtesy of Matthew Bloom.
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