Haggis-Hurling, Caber Tossing, Men In Kilts And More At This Suburban Festival

WHEATON, IL — DuPage County Fairgrounds will host the 39th Annual Scottish Festival & Highland Games on June 13 and June 15. The two-day festival is set to feature a men in kilts contest, a haggis-eating contest, bagpipers, Scottish highland dance performances and an array of Scottish Heavyweight Athletics.

The festivities also include the largest pipe band championship in North America, according to festival organizers. More than 40 pipe bands are set to compete. Solo piping and solo drumming contests will also take place.

A Highland dance competition will be held, along with a signature shortbread contest haggis-hurling contest, in which competitors balance on a halved whiskey barrel to see how far they can throw a one-pound wad of frozen haggis.

While that is an admirable feat of athleticism, the real draw of the Scottish Festival & Highland Games is its Heavyweight Athletics competitions. Dating back to the 10th century, these contests include a Scottish hammer throw, a caber toss, stone put, sheaf toss and weight throws for distance and height.

Humans aren't the only ones who can show off their athletic skills at the Highland Games. The Dogs of Scotland will be on paw...on hand... Saturday to compete in agility challenges. The panoply of pups, which includes Cairn terriers, Shetland sheepdogs, Scottish deerhounds and more, will also be available for meet-and-greets throughout the day.

Live entertainment for the festival is headlined by Celtic rock band Skerryvore, who will take the stage Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 8 p.m.

Other featured performers include folk singer Iona Fyfe, international artist Jamie McGeechan, fiddle, flute and flint drum band Shadowfields, Chicago-inspired Celtic band Logical Fleadh and Celtic folk duo Frogwater.

The weekend's events also include a British car show from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, whiskey seminars, free cooking demos and a marketplace.

Admission to the festival is $21.99 for Friday general admission, $32.49 for Saturday general admission, $48.24 for a two-day weekend pass and $210.99 for a two-day VIP pass. Click the link to buy tickets to the 2025 Scottish Festival & Highland Games.

Proceeds from the festival will be donated to Caledonia Senior Living and Memory Care.