Rain or shine, there will be Highland games, livestock, a children’s area, music, food and clan tents as the 33rd Kalamazoo Scottish Festival celebrates Celtic cultures from 9 am - 5 pm on Saturday, Sep 6 at Kindleberger Park. Admission is free.
"We're over 70 throwers this year," says Wilson, who has been involved with the festival for five years. "We have two Canadians coming to play this year and we have more juniors." The Highland Games feature nine different events using traditional implements including sheafs, wooden poles, hammers, and river stones.
Board president Jenna Warline, emphasizes the festival's inclusive nature. "Our motto is 100,000 welcomes… We welcome anyone from all walks of life."
The festival features 19 vendors and 13 food trucks, both Scottish and non-Scottish. Attractions include Highland cattle, Clydesdales, miniature horses in kilts, and a special children's area with scaled-down Highland Games equipment. A highlight is the return of the "Nessie wagon," built by late festival president John Gilbert, who passed away this year.
Eleven clans and societies will offer genealogy assistance, helping visitors trace their Scottish heritage. "You'd be surprised with the amount of names that are in that book. So you might just be Scottish after all and just not know it," Warline says.
The festival also promotes year-round activities, including a whiskey tasting on October 18th and a planned trip to Scotland from April 30th to May 9th, 2026. More information is available at the Kalamazoo Scottish Association website.
This interview was summarized by Claude AI and edited by the author.
