PennWest Edinboro’s picturesque campus will be filled with the colorful traditions of Scotland during the 31st annual Highland Games & Scottish Festival, Sept. 4-6.

Featuring world-class musicians, Celtic vendors, the National Scottish Fiddle Championship, the US National Scottish Harp Championship, highland dance performances, athletic competitions, Scottish clan gatherings, kids’ crafts and games and traditional Scottish food, the festival serves as a tribute to Edinboro’s founders and ongoing celebration of the history and traditions of Scotland.

“The Highland Games and Scottish Festival are a beloved Edinboro tradition that bring the community together to celebrate the strength, artistry, and rich heritage of Scotland,” said festival director Lisa Keating. “Whether you come for the music, the food, the athletic competitions, or simply the camaraderie, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.”

The three-day cultural celebration will kick off at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4. with a free outdoor screening of “Brave” on the lawn of Frank G. Pogue Student Center, 405 Scotland Road, Edinboro.

Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets and their favorite movie-watching snacks.

A public fiddle workshop is set for 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, in room 143 of Frank G. Pogue Student Center, followed at 7 p.m. by the regional qualifier fiddle competition in Pogue Student Center’s Scot Cinema.

Edinboro’s Planetarium will present “The Sky Above Edinburgh” at 6 and 8 p.m. Friday in room 169 of Cooper Science Center, 230 Scotland Road, Edinboro. Planetarium programming is free and open to the public, but reservations are required.

The main festival events and games will be held throughout Saturday, Sept. 6, on the Edinboro campus, around McComb Fieldhouse at the corner of Scot and Scotland roads, and at the adjacent Pogue Student Center.

The National Scottish Fiddle Championships - US Junior will begin at 9 a.m. in Pogue’s Scot Cinema, followed by the National Scottish Fiddle Championships - US Open at 12:30 p.m. The U.S. National Scottish Harp Championship is set to kick off at 9:30 a.m. in the multipurpose room of Pogue.

The beer garden opens at 11 a.m. on the McComb Fieldhouse lawns. Opening ceremonies and massed bands are set for noon.

Musical performances will fill the air throughout the day, while burly athletes toss various weighty objects as part of the ever-popular heavy athletic competitions. The events include the caber toss, hammer, stone and 56-pound weights for height and distance. 

An array of high-quality vendors will be on hand, selling clothing, jewelry, glassware and other goods. Scottish and American food vendors will offer sausage rolls, meat pies, shepherd’s pie, chicken dinners, kettle corn, cookies, desserts and more. 

The full schedule of Saturday’s events will run from approximately 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., followed by the Ceilidh (kay-lee) dinner and music by the Chelsea House Orchestra from 5-9 p.m. in the Van Houten North Dining Room. The cost of the Ceilidh, which includes a full Scottish dinner and an address to the Haggis, is $50 per person. 

All festival events are free and open to the public, except the Ceilidh.

Events will go on, rain or shine, with alternate locations set in case of inclement weather. Full festival details and the complete list of sponsors – including “MacCato the Great Sponsor,” Cunningham Chrysler – can be found at pennwest.edu/edinboro-highland-games.

Let the Games begin!