Celebrate Scottish heritage at the 33rd Annual Scottish Festival & Highland Games
ITASCA, Ill. (WLS) -- At The Scottish Festival & Highland Games, guests will feel like they've been transported to Scotland without having to travel far.
The Scottish Festival & Highland Games features a variety of competitions and attractions:
COMPETITIONS
Scottish Heavy Athletics- Nine contests of strength, balance, timing and concentration including the iconic caber toss. Competing this year are some of the most accomplished and decorated competitors including the "Michael Jordan" of heavy athletics, Spencer Tyler who is the only athlete to hold world records in five of the nine contests simultaneously.
Bagpiping - The Festival hosts the largest bagpiping championship in the USA .Thousands of bagpipers and drummers perform in individual and band competitions throughout The Festival and as the suns sets on Saturday evening, they all come together to march and perform in unison at the famous spectacle of the massed bands.
Other competitions - Other popular competitions include the Scottish Highland Dance Championships, a rugby tournament, a shortbread contest and a classic British car show.
Feeling competitive? Attendees can also get in on the fun - at the "Knobbly Knees" contest men strut their stuff in kilts while judges determine who has the knobbliest knees; at the "Haggis Hurling" contest women compete to determine who can throw a one pound, frozen haggis the farthest while standing on a whisky barrel; and the Haggis Eating contest is the ultimate challenge of the bravest and speediest diners.
ATTRACTIONS & ACTIVITIES
Children's area - A Children's area offers terrific fun for little ones - including Celtic crafts, miniature golf and miniature Scottish Heavy Athletics, even a Scottish Petting Zoo.
Music and libations - Adults can sip on single malt Scottish whisky, spirits and beer from various vendors and dine on traditional Scottish and American cuisine. Friday evening will feature the crowning of the Heather Queen, a tradition that goes back generations. Throughout the weekend guests can enjoy lively musical performances on the main stage - two high energy Celtic bands Cleghorn and the Rogues, Scottish-American honky-tonk band, John Ballantyne's Crazy Heart and Chicago's premier ceilidh band, the Bandicoots.
Scottish Heritage - The Scottish History and Genealogy areas offer opportunities for guests to discover their roots and learn about Scottish contributions to the world. Another opportunity to connect to history and family is to visit to the Scottish Clans and learn the stories of Scottish journeys to America. At the Dogs of Scotland area, guests can enjoy some terrific agility displays and meet some furry friends - the Celtic canines. And for the shopper who's looking for something unique, the Festival features a varied Celtic marketplace where you can buy (very nearly) anything Scottish...kilts, jewelry, soccer jerseys, almost anything made from tartan and, of course, haggis.
Event Information:33rd Annual Scottish Festival & Highland Games
Date: Saturday, June 15, 2019
Hours: 8am-10 pm
Address: Hamilton Lakes, 1 Pierce Place, Itasca, IL
Admission: Children 3 and under are FREE; Children ages 4-12 $12; Adults are $20; Seniors (60+) and Active Military are $16
