65th Ligonier Highland Games.

Schedule of Events

September 13, 2024

6:00 pm - Professional Piping competition at Holy Trinity Church in Ligonier. Admission is free. Parking is free. Professional piperscompete in 3 different categories of solo piping. Each piper plays a selected tune for the judges in each of three categories - Strathspey & Reel, Hornpipe & Jig, and Piobaireachd.

September 14, 2024

8:00 am - Gates open to the public, tickets available at the gate. Cash or credit/debit cards accepted at entrance. Bring your own chair(s), picnic basket/cooler and a blanket too! Free Loyalhanna Limited train runs all day to near Main Field available at train station near Parking Lot A.

8:00 am - Registration for Piping, Drumming and Pipe Band Competition entries begins at new location Pizza Shack patio (R-6, See Map). All solo piping and drumming competitors and pipe bands can check their registration and event competition schedule which will be posted on the bulletin board.

8:00 am - Scottish Vendors village opens at Main Field and new area in Splash Zone with vendors offering a wide variety of Scottish/Celtic goods,. Cash and credit cards accepted.

8:30 am - Scottish Clans tent area opens to public at location by Parking Lot D (See Map). Come and find which Clan your family name is associated with and find out more about your extended family in the old country and it’s role in Scottish history.

8:30 am - Scottish Fiddling registration in Pavilion C8. All ages and skill levels work with and a master Scottish fiddler to learn new techniques and gain insight in what is expected in the traditional tunes required in the competition. Registration in advance is preferred, but entries accepted during the morning too.

8:30 am - Scottish Harps registration in Pavilion C7. All ages and skill levels are welcome at the competition and workshop. Registration in advance is preferred, but entries accepted during the morning as well.

9:00 am - Solo Piping and drumming competitions begin at judging stations located in waterpark area (see map). Individual pipers and drummers play required tunes under the watchful eye of professional EUSPBA judges to win prizes in various categories. Some are quick while the piobaireachd (pronounced “pea-brook”) can last up to 10 minutes each.

9:00 am - 4:00 pm Highland Dancing competition at Pavilion D2. Youth of all ages compete in multiple categories of traditional Scottish dances, like the Sword Dance and Highland Fling, for prizes and trophies as well as points for regional ranking.

9:00 am - Scottish Harps Competition in Pavilion C7. All ages and skill levels work with and are judged by a master Scottish harpist in solo and group competitions playing traditional and modern Scottish tunes on beautifully hand-crafted instruments.

9:00 am - 3:00 pm Scottish Breed Dog Exhibit at Pavilion E1. Come and see the four legged friends and learn more about the wide variety of Scottish dog breeds, their history and origin and see them perform in various demonstrations or just visit with them.

9:00 am - Heavy Athletics competition begins at Main Field. Traditional Scottish competitions test the strength and skill of our kilted competitors. Various competitions such as the stone throw, sheaf toss, hammer throw and caber toss (throwing the phone pole) take place throughout the day in varying order depending the condition of the ground and the number of competitors. Amateur men and women compete in a wide range of age groups.

9:00 am - Scottish Fiddling beginner/intermediate orkshop in Pavilion C8. All ages and skill levels work with and a master Scottish fiddler to learn new techniques and gain insight in what is expected in the traditional tunes required in the competition

9:00 am - 4:00 pm Genealogy information at St. Andrews Society tent group near Main Field and vendor village. Registered Genealogist Megan Clark Young and helpers asist with information on researching your family, and Clan history and origins.

9:30 am - 4:30 pm Scottish tartans research at St. Andrews Society tent group near Main Field and vendor village. Find information on which Clan you might belong to and the traditional tartan pattern associated with those Clans.

10:00 am - Celtic spinning and weaving exhibit opens, directed by master weaver Kathy Wells, creator of the Pittsburgh Tartan at St. Andrews Society tent group near main field. Come and see how the traditional wool kilt was made on the looms and the various tartans were designed and the terminology used in describing the color patterns.

10:00 am - 11:30 am - Children’s Games near the main path. A free activity for the little ones where they can try kid friendly versions of the athletic events. Best for those ages 10 and younger, all participants get prize ribbons.

10:00 am - Noon - Living History and military re-enactors exhibits near Loyalhanna Limited train stop (see map). Re-enactors in period costumes bring to life figures from Scottish military history from the colonial period to the present era.

10:30 am - Sheep shearing demo near Vendor Area beside Main field. Drew Pearson and associates will demonstrate shearing and harvesting wool from one of our fuzzy four legged friends from his farm.

10:30 am - Scottish Fiddling intermediate/advanced workshop in Pavilion C8. All ages and skill levels work with and a master Scottish fiddler to learn new techniques and gain insight in what is expected in the traditional tunes required in the competition

10:45 am - Heavy Athletics continue at Main Field with Caber Toss. Watch our athletes attempt to throw the telephone pole and flip it end over end for a perfect score

11:30 am - Scottish Harps competition prizes and awards Pavilion C 7. All are invited to see this year’s champions in the various categories as they are
recognized.

11:30 am - Border Collie Sheep Dog herding demo at the Main field. Val Henry brings her four legged friends to demonstrate the art of sheep herding and the agility, grace and intelligence of the Scottsh Border Collies.

12pm - Welcoming Ceremonies, Massed Bands and Parade of Tartans at Main Field. The Scottish Clans, escorted by the Scottish regiment from Fort Ligonier in 1758, lead the procession onto the main field, with 40 or more Clans present, followed by all the attending Bagpipe bands marching onto the field in formation and playing several traditional tunes.

12:30 pm - Ladies Haggis Toss on Main Field. A perennial fan favorite. Ladies of all ages are invited to sign up (at the HQ Tent) and compete for cash prizes. Best of two throws of a 2 pound sandbag haggis is measured for distance. Longest throw wins.

12:45 pm - Heavy Athletics competition resumes at Main Field. Finals of the Caber Toss and stone weight throws for distance and other events, field conditions permitting.

1:00 pm - Pittsburgh Scottish Country Dance Society hosts a workshop at Pavilion E1. Dancers teach traditional country dancing in all age and skill levels.

1:00 pm - Scottish Harps performance at Clan Forsyth tent in Scottish Clans Area. The Ringold ensemble plays tunes at the tent area of a sponsor and supporter of the event.

1:00 pm - 4:00 pm - Highland Dancing Competitions resume at Pavilion D 2. Dancers perform traditional Scottish gambols such as the Sword Dance, Highland Fling and Seann Triubhas, in all age and skill levels.

1:00 pm - 4:30 pm - Living History and military re-enactors exhibits resume near Loyalhanna Limited train stop, See how the soldiers of Scotland have served around the world throughout the past three hundred years.

1:30 pm - Sheep shearing demo near Vendor Area beside Main field. Drew Pearson and associates will demonstrate shearing and harvesting wool from one of our fuzzy four legged friends from his farm.

1:30 pm - Scottish Fiddling competition in Pavilion C8, judged by our guest master Scottish Fiddler. Watch as soloists from various skill levels compete for prizes in traditional Scottish music categories and techniques.

2:00 pm - Scottish Harps workshop Pavilion C 7. The adjudicator leads the participants in learning more advanced techniques in the traditional Scottish Harping

2:00 pm - Barra the Bard traditional Scottish storyteller, performs at Pavilion E2. Barra tells stories handed down over generations in a form and rhythm that has endured in Scotland for centuries when many people could not read or write and relied on the stories to pass along histories and traditions and instruct people of all ages.

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm - Pipe Band Competition on Main Field. Each band performs several tunes individually under the watchful eyes of three EUSPBA judges for ranking in their respective Grades for this Games and the cumulative season ranking.

2:30 pm - Sheep shearing demo near Vendor Area beside Main field. Drew Pearson and associates will again demonstrate shearing and harvesting wool

3:00 pm - Tug-of-War event at Main Field open to all children. Groups of youngsters can either form their own teams/groups or be helped to evenly
divided teams by the Games staff. All participants receive a souvenir Tug of War button.

4:00 pm - Border Collie Sheep Dog herding demo at the Main field. Val Henry brings her four legged friends to demonstrate the art of sheep herding and the agility, grace and intelligence of the Scottsh Border Collies.

4:00 pm - Pittsburgh Scottish Country Dance Society performs at Pavilion E1. Dancers perform traditional formal Scottish country dances that became the basis of Square Dancing in the U.S. and describe the history behind each dance.

5:00 pm - Awards Ceremony at Main Field and Final Massed Bands performance. All the participating bagpipe bands march onto the field in formation and play a massed performance. Winners of the piping and drumming competitions are announced and prizes awarded, followed by playing Amazing Grace before marching off in formation of waves.

5:30 pm - Keg Toss competition on Main Field, open to any willing participants. Our final event of the day with cash prizes for men and women of various age groups. Best of two attempts to throw an 18 pound sixth keg for distance, longest throw wins.

Date:
September 13-14, 2024

Location:
Idlewild and SoakZone, 2574 US-30, Ligonier, PA 15658

Click here for More Information