The Arkansas Scottish Festival
- Dates
- Oct 23 to 25, 2026
- Status
- Confirmed
- Venue
- Lyon College
- Price
- Free
- Camping
- None on site
- Last checked
- Oct 16, 2026
The Arkansas Scottish Festival returns to Lyon College, Batesville, AR, Oct 23 to 25, 2026. Froligo tracks free-entry details, attendee feedback and travel details.
The experience
What's special
The Arkansas Scottish Festival, branded ScotsFest and presented by Lyon College, is a free-admission Scottish festival and Highland games held each October on the college campus in Batesville, Arkansas, alongside Lyon College Homecoming. Established in 1979, it brings piping competitions, a parade of massed pipe bands, Highland athletics hosted by Ancient Athletics, Highland dancing, Scottish clans on Clan Row, sheep dog demonstrations, a Kirkin' o' the Tartan service and living-history performances to one of the best-known Scottish festivals in the South
Last time around (2025)
The 45th Arkansas Scottish Festival ran October 17 to 19, 2025 on the Lyon College campus in Batesville, again pairing the Scottish games, pipe bands and clan gathering with Lyon College Homecoming
The games
Heavy athletics
Highland athletics run on Saturday, hosted by Ancient Athletics, with a competition beginning at 9 a.m. and same-day sign-up available for those who want to compete
Pipe bands & Highland dance
The weekend features piping competitions and exhibitions, solo pipers and drummers, a parade of massed pipe bands at the Saturday opening ceremonies, the Lyon College pipe band, and Highland dancing throughout the day in the Clan Village
Clans & genealogy
Scottish clans gather in a Clan Village and along Clan Row, clan registration is open ahead of the event, and a Kirkin' o' the Tartan worship service is held on Sunday morning
Taking part
Alongside the games, the festival adds sheep dog demonstrations, a British car show, a dog show, a petting zoo, a Celtic poetry contest, tea and scones, live Celtic music in the Entertainment Zone, and a Saturday Homecoming football game and tailgate
See it before you go
A look at the Highland Games in general, not this specific event.
Getting there
How do I get to The Arkansas Scottish Festival?
By car
Most people drive to The Arkansas Scottish Festival. Check current road and traffic conditions before you set off, and see parking below.
By train
No direct passenger rail to the venue was found. Drive, fly in, or use a shuttle instead.
By bus & public transit
No scheduled intercity bus or public transit route to the venue was found. Drive, fly in, or use a shuttle instead.
Taxi & rideshare
Rideshare pickup at LIT is at Exit Door F, across the crosswalk at the Parking Deck staging area. A rideshare for the full trip to Batesville is a long, app-quoted fare rather than a typical in-city hop, so most travelers rent a car instead
Book / info →Taxis and rideshare such as Uber and Lyft can be limited near the venue, especially late at night or in rural areas. Agree a pickup point and time in advance and keep a backup plan.
🅿 Parking
Electric vehicle charging stations are available in the crescent parking lot across from the Lyon College Welcome Center
🚙 Car hire
Compare car hire
If you are hiring a car, it is worth checking parking near the venue before you go.
Search car hire →Car hire links may earn Froligo a commission; they never change the price you pay.
Where
Venue
The venue has its own page with capacity, accessibility and parking.
Camping & Accommodation
Where can I stay near The Arkansas Scottish Festival?
No on site camping. Here is where to stay nearby.
Budget stays 2
About 1.7 miles from Lyon College
≈ $49-129 / night approx, book direct with the hotel
Check rates →773 Batesville Boulevard, Southside, AR 72501
Link coming soonMid-range hotels 1
About 1.8 miles from Lyon College
≈ $120-158 / night approx, book direct with the hotel
Check rates →Luxe hotels 1
About 1.1 miles from Lyon College, around 4 minutes by car
≈ $105-269 / night approx, book direct with the hotel
Check rates →Airport hotels 1
223 Red Wolf Boulevard, Jonesboro, AR 72405
Link coming soonAirbnb & private camping
Short-term rentals in Batesville are limited compared to its hotel strip, but a few are usually available for a festival weekend
Search Airbnb →Hipcamp lists a handful of private-land camping spots around the White River near Batesville as an alternative to a hotel
Search Hipcamp →Browse all hotels near Lyon College →
Hotel links may earn Froligo a commission; they never change the price you pay.
Accessibility & comfort
What the organiser or venue publishes about getting around, and what they do not.
Crawled arscottishfest.com on 3 Sep 2026. The organiser publishes no accessibility page and nothing on terrain, accessible parking, accessible toilets, companion tickets, ASL or a quiet space
Confirm your specific needs with the organiser's access team before you travel.
Pricing
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