Now in its twentieth year, this popular event was originally held in Blairsville GA, where it was known as the Blairsville Scottish Festival and Highland Games.
Every year hundreds of bagpipers, drummers, Clan representatives, athletes, artisans, and food vendors would gather in beautiful Meeks Park for a weekend-long celebration of traditional Scots-Irish culture and sport.
By the time we visited the annual festival in 2023, it was clear that it was outgrowing the municipal park.
Still, it was a big surprise when organizers announced that the 2025 festival would bring both a new name (the Georgia Mountain Scottish Festival & Highland Games) and a new location (the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds).
Located in the neighboring town of Hiawassee, the GMF is home to huge annual events such as the Georgia Mountain Fair, concerts by major acts like Night Ranger and Travis Tritt, campgrounds with 180+ campsites, and a botanical garden.
Read on for our in-depth guide to the 2025 Georgia Mountain Scottish Festival, including dates, hours, ticket prices, directions, and all the best things to see and do there!
READ MORE: 30 Fun Facts About Appalachian Scots-Irish History & Culture
Georgia Mountain Scottish Festival Info
ADDRESS: Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, Towns County Park, 1311 Music Hall Rd, Hiawassee GA 30546
PHONE: (706)896-4191
HOURS: 9AM-5PM on June 7-8, 2025
ADMISSION: Adults (ages 13+)= $20 on Saturday, $10 on Sunday, or $25 for both; Children (ages 7-12)= $5 per day; Children 6 & Under= Free. Group rate of $15 per person for 10 or more people.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS FROM DOWNTOWN HIAWASSEE
From Downtown Hiawassee, head north on US-76 W/N Main St for approximately 1.4 miles, then turn right onto Music Hall Rd to enter Towns County Park. The fairgrounds will be on your right in 0.3 miles.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS FROM DOWNTOWN BLAIRSVILLE
From Downtown Blairsville, take Young Harris St to US-76E, then turn right and follow it for 14.4 miles. Make a left onto Music Hall Rd to enter Towns County Park, and the fairgrounds will be on your right.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS FROM DOWNTOWN HAYESVILLE NC
From Downtown Hayesville NC, take Main St/US-64 BUS E for approximately a 1/2-mile. At the traffic circle, take the 1st exit onto NC-69 S, which will take you across the NC/GA border.
In 3.9 miles, continue onto GA-17 S/GA-515 W, then go 1.1 miles and turn left onto US-76 E. Follow that for 3.2 miles and turn left onto Music Hall Rd.
READ MORE: The 15 Best Things to Do in Hiawassee GA & Young Harris GA
GA Mountain Scottish Festival Attractions
Highland Games
Historians believe that traditional Highland games date back to 2000 BC in Ireland, ultimately crossing the sea to Scotland during migrations in the 4th and 5th century.
After the Highlanders lost the Jacobite Rebellion, the British Crown’s 1746 Act of Proscription outlawed Scottish dress, customs, and gatherings for almost 40 years.
But Highland games and other Scottish customs experienced a renewed surge of popularity in the early 1800s, after King George IV visited Scotland, and they remain a popular way to celebrate Scottish identity and cultural pride today.
Male and female athletes come from far and wide to participate in the Georgia Mountain festival’s games, including traditional events such as the Caber Toss, Hammer Throw, Shot Put, Sheaf Toss, and more.
Note that these events are held in an open field without much shade, so we highly recommend going early to check them out before it gets too hot, or bringing a shaded chair to sit in.
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Pipe Bands
Scottish Pipe Bands (a.k.a. pipes and drums) may be an acquired taste for some, but they fill me with nostalgia.
When my Granddad, who told me about our family’s Scottish history and deep roots in the Blue Ridge Mountains, passed away in 1996, I hired a local piper to play “Amazing Grace” at his Memorial service.
Pipe bands started in Scottish Regiments of the British Army in the 19th century, where they were used to keep pace and morale on long marches. But the Royal Scots have records suggesting pipers were used by regiments in the early 17th century.
Of course the tradition has spread all across the world, from Australia and New Zealand, to France and Spain, to Canada and the US. For me, hearing the haunting bagpipes echoing across the mountains is almost achingly beautiful.
We arrived at the festival early and heard pipe bands rehearsing their marches, slow airs, jigs and reels, and strathspeys.
But don’t miss the afternoon parade (usually around 2PM), where you’ll hear 100+ pipers and drummers playing and marching in using while wearing their traditional Scottish clothing.
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Scottish Clan Booths
Clans are a cornerstone of Scottish history and culture, with some dating back to the medieval period. They’re rooted in a strong sense of kinship, with members united by direct familial bonds or loyalty to a specific chief.
Each clan has ties to specific regions of, and places in, Scotland, alliances with other clans, and its own unique tartan patterns, coat of arms, and motto.
My Love family is a sept (a.k.a. branch) of Clan MacKinnon, whose other septs include the Low, McInnon, MacKinning, MacKinven, MacMorran, MacSherrie, Sherrie, and Sherry families. Our motto is “Fortune favors the bold.”
The Georgia Mountain Scottish Festival will feature booths hosted by more than 40 different clans, including famous ones like Clan Campbell, Clan Douglas, Clan MacLeod, and Clan MacGregor.
Each booth will be manned by members with info on the clan’s history, ancestral lands, and more. Some may even be able to offer guidance on tracing your genealogical lineage.
READ MORE: Scottish Islands & Highlands: Tracing My Clan MacKinnon Roots
Scottish Food Vendors
With more than a dozen different food vendors scheduled to appear at this year’s festival, there will be no shortage of cuisines to choose from.
But it wouldn’t be a Scottish Festival without a chance to sample delicacies like Meat Pies, Scotch Eggs (soft boiled eggs wrapped in sausage and deep fried), Shepherds Pie, and my personal favorite, Haggis.
Haggis is a VERY traditional savory pudding made from sheep’s organ meat mixed with oatmeal, onions, spices, and suet, then cooked in a sausage-like casing. It’s traditionally served with mashed potatoes (tatties) and mashed turnips (neeps).
Check out vendors like Celtic Monkey and Murray’s Pies for these traditional Scottish dishes and more. And don’t miss the exceptional (and award-winning) Scottish Shortbread from Lanky Lassie!
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Celtic Music & Dancing
Celtic music and dance traditions are at the very heart of Appalachian culture, influencing modern genres such as bluegrass, country, and old time music (and the dance styles associated with them).
Early settlers of the Blue Ridge Mountains brought their cultural influences with them, using conventional folk instruments to play traditional folk tunes and write new songs about their daily life.
The GA Mountain Scottish Festival always features live music from an array of bands with Scots-Irish roots. Last year’s lineup included Celtic Conundrum, Celtic Road, Eirann’s Call, and Mountain Gypsy Music (a.k.a. Curtis & Kim Jones).
This year’s lineup had not been revealed as of our deadline, but we will update this story once it becomes available.
If you’re interested in Scottish and Irish dance, you won’t want to miss performances by the Knoxville Pipes & Drums Highland Dancers and the Atlanta branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society.
The latter ensemble typically offers a chance at the end of their show for audience members to get up and join in on the fun!
READ MORE: What is Bluegrass? The History & Evolution of Appalachian Music
Animals & Live Demos
Whether using Sheep and Border Collies for farming or Falcons and other bids of prey for hunting, animals have long been an important aspect of Scottish life.
One of our favorite memories from our 2017 trip to visit Scotland was the gorgeous Highland Cattle (a.k.a. Hairy Coos) we saw at nearly every farm, and occasionally right in the middle of the road!
Many of these animals are a staple at the Scottish Festival, and the 2025 edition will include Border Collie herding demonstrations, birds from the Georgia Falconry Association, and various Scottish livestock.
This year’s festival will also feature live demos from Axe Daddy (ax throwing), Burnt Whisker Forge, Celtic Canines, Clan Nan Con (Scottish settler re-enactors), Highland Fiber Friends (spinning & weaving), and more!
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Children’s Activities
The Georgia Mountain Scottish Festival is a VERY family-friendly event, providing a fun and safe way for children ages 3 to 13 to learn about all things Scottish.
This year’s festival will feature a larger play area for kids, with more Children’s Activities than ever before.
They’ll have their very own Highland Games challenges for kids ages 6 to 12, with age-appropriate equipment for training and competing in the Caber Toss, Sheaf Tossing, and Stone Put events.
Youngsters can also enjoy a Scottish Castle Space Walk, face painting with Scottish emblems, a 4-hole miniature golf course, a “Passport to the Clans” scavenger hunt, and a meet-and-greet with Merida from Brave (Sat-Sun 1-3 PM).
For the first time, they will also be offering a Quiet Tent, as a calm place where parents with infants can rock or nurse their babies. –by Bret Love; all photos by Bret Love & Mary Gabbett
