Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival & Highland Games
- Dates
- May 1 to 2, 2027
- Status
- Confirmed
- Venue
- Balloon Fiesta Park
- Price
- $20 to $25
- Camping
- None on site
- Last checked
- Sep 1, 2026
Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival & Highland Games returns to Balloon Fiesta Park, Albuquerque, NM, May 1 to 2, 2027. Froligo tracks current ticket prices, attendee feedback and travel details.
The experience
What's special
The Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival and Highland Games is New Mexico's original Celtic festival, held each spring at Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque and celebrating the seven Celtic nations. It pairs sanctioned Scottish heavy athletics, caber toss and hammer, with massed pipe bands, Highland and Irish dance, a Calling of the Clans, Celtic dogs and multiple music stages
What people love
Locals point to a surprisingly strong Celtic community in Albuquerque, with Highland games, caber tossing, Highland dancing, bagpipes, meat pies and a well-regarded kids area
Last time around
The 38th festival filled Balloon Fiesta Park over the first weekend of May 2026 with dancing, Celtic games and music, headlined by the piper Ally the Piper
The games
Heavy athletics
The festival runs a full slate of Scottish heavy athletics, including caber, hammer, sheaf, Braemar and open stone, weight for distance and weight over bar across professional, women's and masters divisions, plus a Gaelic hurling field
Pipe bands & Highland dance
Pipe and drum bands compete in a sanctioned pipe band competition, and a Highland dance competition runs on the dance stage
Clans & genealogy
Clans and societies gather, with a Calling of the Clans and a parade of clans during the weekend
Taking part
The weekend also features Mary Queen of Scots holding court, a Celtic Dogs parade, multiple music stages, Irish and Scottish dancing, and food, brewery and craft vendors
See it before you go
A look at the Highland Games in general, not this specific event.
Getting there
Nearest airport ABQ.
How do I get to Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival & Highland Games?
By train
No direct passenger rail to the venue was found. Use the airport transfers or shuttle options above.
By bus
No scheduled intercity bus or public transit route to the venue was found. Use the airport transfers or shuttle options above.
🅿 Parking
On site parking available. Cost Free.
🚙 Car hire
Where
Venue
Balloon Fiesta Park
Pricing
Got fresher info? Tell us, a real person checks every tip, and we love fresh info.