Tallahassee Highland Games to bring Scottish culture, athletics, and history to Leon County this February 11-12

The Tallahassee Highland Games and Scottish Festival are back!

After a 12 year hiatus, the new Tallahassee games is returning to Leon County, bringing with it a taste of Scotland’s history, athletics, and culture during a two-day weekend in February.

The highlight of any highland game is the athletic demonstrations and competitions, and the Tallahassee Highland Games will be no exception - there will be sporting event competitions for caber tossing and stones of strength.

The Tallahassee games are coming back from a 12-year hiatus as a national qualifier for the National Caber Toss Championship and a National Qualifier for the Highland Games, meaning that caber toss athletes from all over the southeast will be traveling to Tallahassee to show off their prowess in this one-of-a-kind sport; it also means that Tallahassee competitors will have the chance to compete and represent Leon County in national events.

Stones of strength is one of the oldest athletic traditions of Scotland, and it is being honored during the Tallahassee Highland Games sporting events.

The stones of strength series will pit male athletes against a series of heavy stones weighing up to 400 pounds, and female athletes against stones that weigh up to 270 pounds.

For those more interested in Scottish art and culture, the weekend will include over 20 Scottish and Celtic vendors who will be bringing their goods to the festival, and 20 Scottish clans who will be present to share the history and modern-day culture of their clans and help others discover their Scottish roots.

The new Tallahassee Highland Games also features traditional weaving, a Highland ‘Coo’ (cow) petting zoo, folk dancing, music, falcons, archery and so much more.

And what is a gathering of scots without whisky?

The games will feature a whisky-tasting tent with a series of Whisky Experiences, with speciality made whisky and malts brewed specially by local producers for the event.

Need a bite to eat? Look no further than the event’s food vendors, which will be cooking up delicious cuisine all weekend long.

The Tallahassee Highland Games is a nonprofit event, organized by May and Fain Cultural and Sports with a mission to promote and empower strength sports and the cultures around them.

The new Tallahassee Highland Games will be working with a group known as ‘Broken Caber Adaptive Athletics’, a group dedicated to providing opportunity and empowerment of Adaptive Athletes.

Individuals who live with neuromuscular disorders and/or missing limbs are provided additional opportunities in strength sports because of Broken Caber’s efforts.

In an effort to be the change a community needs to succeed, the first ever Adaptive Athletics division has been added to the Tallahassee Highland Games roster of events; to support Broken Caber Adaptive Athletics, a beard competition will be fundraising alongside North Florida Facial Hair.

Who doesn’t love a good beard?

All of proceeds of the Beard Battle go directly to Broken Caber Adaptive Athletics.

From live Celtic and Scottish band performances, bagpiping from local and visiting bagpipe bands, shopping experiences, historical presentations, incredible sporting events, and lots of good, loud, Scottish fun, this will be a must-attend event for those who love a cultural festival, are fans of Outlander, or who enjoy sports, culture, shopping, and music.

For more information about the Tallahassee Highland Games and Scottish Festival, to purchase tickets, register for the competitions, see event schedule, and more, visit tallyhighlandgames.com

The festival will take place at the Apalachee Regional Park, located at 7550 Apalachee Parkway.

The gates will be open from 8:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Ashley Hunter - editor@gadsdencountytimes.com

Tallahassee Highland Games to bring Scottish culture, athletics, and history to Leon County this February 11-12

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Tallahassee Highland Games to bring Scottish culture, athletics, and history to Leon County this February 11-12

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Commissioner Wilton Simpson announces $2.6 million available to landowners for protecting Florida land

North Florida women dominate barrel racing – Upcoming equestrian events put female riders at the forefront

North Florida women dominate barrel racing - Upcoming equestrian events put female riders at the forefront

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