Scotland County Highland Games
- Dates
- Expected October 2027
- Status
- Expected
- Venue
- John Blue House property
- Price
- $22 to $25
- Camping
- None on site
- Last checked
- Sep 1, 2026
Scotland County Highland Games's 2027 dates haven't been announced yet. The last festival was 2 to 4 October 2026 in Laurinburg, NC. Froligo tracks current ticket prices, attendee feedback and travel details.
The experience
What's special
The Scotland County Highland Games is a Scottish festival held the first weekend of October at the historic John Blue House property in Laurinburg, North Carolina, in a region that was once the largest settlement of Highland Scots in North America. Founded in 2008, the Games feature Scottish heavy athletics and the caber toss, EUSPBA-sanctioned piping and drumming, Highland dance, clan and society tents with a parade of tartans, sheep herding, a sell-out whisky tasting and a Sunday Kirkin' of the Tartans
What people love
Attendees describe the Scotland County Games as a fun weekend that leans heavily into the music, with live band performances and bagpipe competitions alongside the heavy athletics, and note it is more a family and heritage day than a big drinking event. The Friday whisky seminar and tasting is a perennial favorite that sells out every year
Last time around (2025)
Recent editions have followed the same first-weekend-of-October pattern at the John Blue House property, with Scottish and Celtic entertainers, heavy athletics, EUSPBA piping and drumming, Highland dance, a parade of tartans and the Sunday Kirkin' of the Tartans. The 2026 weekend is set for October 2 to 4, with the main Games on Saturday, October 3
The games
Heavy athletics
The Games run Scottish heavy athletics, including the tossing of the caber, with bleacher seating around the field and amateur classes open to new throwers
Pipe bands & Highland dance
Pipe band competition and individual piping and drumming are sanctioned by the EUSPBA Southern Branch, alongside a Highland dance competition
Clans & genealogy
Clan and society tents gather at the Games, with a parade of tartans and a Sunday Kirkin' of the Tartans worship service at the historic Old Laurel Presbyterian Church
Taking part
The weekend includes a popular Friday Whisky Seminar and Tasting that sells out each year, sheep herding, kids' games, and a Living History Working Camp; a free Friday Highland Fling runs in downtown Laurinburg
See it before you go
A look at the Highland Games in general, not this specific event.
Getting there
How do I get to Scotland County Highland Games?
By car
Most people drive to Scotland County Highland Games. 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
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
On site parking available. Cost Free. General public parking is free at the James L. Morgan Recreation Complex, with a trolley to the Games site; clan, society and sponsor parking is at the Rural Heritage Center museum area
🚙 Car hire
Compare car hire
On site parking is available; if you are hiring a car it is worth checking the cost and how early it fills.
Search car hire →Car hire links may earn Froligo a commission; they never change the price you pay.
Where
Map shows the centre of Laurinburg. The venue's exact point is not confirmed yet.
Venue
The venue has its own page with capacity, accessibility and parking.
Camping & Accommodation
Where can I stay near Scotland County Highland Games?
No on site camping. Here is where to stay nearby.
Budget stays 1
On the Highway 401 South Bypass in Laurinburg, a short drive from the John Blue House grounds
≈ $85-110 / night approx, book direct with the hotel
Check rates →Mid-range hotels 2
Off I-74 near St. Andrews College, about 3 miles from the John Blue House grounds
≈ $119-150 / night approx, book direct with the hotel
Check rates →On Plaza Road in Laurinburg, a few miles from the John Blue House grounds
≈ $120-150 / night approx, book direct with the hotel
Check rates →Airbnb & private camping
Scotland County's own tourism office lists local Airbnb properties directly, including the E. Hervey Evans House gardens estate and the Grand Tudor vacation rental downtown, alongside the chain hotels, so short term rental supply is genuinely part of the area's lodging mix rather than a large-city surge market
Search Airbnb →Hipcamp listings around Scotland County and the wider Sandhills region offer a camping alternative near the Games for travelers who prefer not to book a hotel
Search Hipcamp →Browse all hotels near John Blue House property →
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.
Checked carolina-highlandgames.com general information page, /directions_and_parking, /games_site_map, /general_admission_tickets, /about_the_scotland_county_highland_games and /contact_us on 3 Sep 2026, plus the venue page for the NC Rural Heritage Center. No accessibility page or statement, no ADA, wheelchair, accessible parking, accessible toilet or viewing, companion or carer ticket, interpretation or quiet space information, and no description of the ground surface. Two things are published that matter for planning but say nothing about access. The Saturday Games site at the John Blue House property is about 46 acres with events spread across it, seating is limited to bleachers at the heavy athletics, benches at Highland Dance and chairs at the Currie Ceilidh Tent, and attendees are asked to bring a portable chair. General public parking is free at the James L. Morgan Recreation Complex with a trolley ride of about half a mile to the games site, and the site does not say whether that trolley is accessible. Service animals are allowed while other pets are not. No access specific contact is given. The general contact is the Games Secretary at [email protected]
Confirm your specific needs with the organiser's access team before you travel.
Pricing
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