The
traditions of Highland games, music, and dance come alive
at the McHenry Highland Festival!
Amateur Scottish Heavy Athletic competitions are
featured every year on the field by the entrance gate.
You will see the caber toss (caber is Gaelic for “tree")–the
signature event in any Scottish athletic competition. Our
athletes also compete in the Scottish hammer throw; stone
throw, and other competitions throughout the day. Although bagpipes were once used as a “weapon
of war” to intimidate the enemy, today pipe band "walkabouts" are a traditional and exciting part of the McHenry Highland Festival. Highland dancing is a highly competitive
and technical dance form that combines steps and footwork
with arm and hand movements–all performed to the accompaniment
of bagpipe music. Demonstrations of Scottish and Irish Country social dancing will be performed throughout the day.
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