161st Victoria Highland Games & Celtic Festival on the May long weekend!

The longest continually running Highland Games in North America.

Prior to the Games, on May 11, the Tartan Parade will leave Centennial Square at exactly 11 am and parade down Government Street to the Legislature Grounds. A ceremony will be held where the highland fling will be danced, bagpipers and drummers will perform and the caber will be tossed. The Parade will involve local pipe bands, highland dancers, and heavy event athletes along with many members of local Scottish and Celtic groups.

Once again, the Highland Games will be hosting the International Heavy Events Challenge and Canadian Invitational Drum Major Championship, with a full line-up of current and past world and national champions. Simon Fraser University Pipe Band will attend, so you can witness the best pipe band in North America compete both days! Massed pipe band performances and Highland dancing on both Saturday and Sunday are must-see events.

The 2024 Games will again hold a Saturday Evening Musical Extravaganza in partnership with the Victoria Military Music Festival Society.

The Victoria Highland Games is a family-focused weekend of Scottish and Celtic arts and culture including pipe band competitions, Scottish Highland dancing competitions, Heavy Events (e.g. caber toss, hammer throw), Scottish country dancing, fiddling performances, Scottish/Celtic and folk music bands, Scottish Clan and genealogy booths and displays, historic military demonstrations and displays, Scottish/Celtic food and merchandise vendors.

For adults there is a Single Malt Whisky School and a Wine Tasting School. We are also working on introducing a Gin Tasting School! There is a large FREE children’s entertainment area.

Purchase your tickets early and save! Children under 12 receive FREE admission! In true Scottish fashion, the Victoria Highland Games & Celtic Festival takes place rain or shine.

Clarior Hinc Honos! Please come join us in Victoria, British Columbia!

Paul McCormack is venturing again this year from my home in Edmonton, Alberta to spread the joy of Clan Buchanan to neighbouring province to the west - British Columbia. Attending this event his will be a whirlwind 3 day trip, traveling what will likely entail more than 13 hours of driving time, not including pitstops along the way, in each direction. The scenery will be spectacular, the numb butt will be inevitable, the hours will be fatiguing, the fast food will be survivable, but the joyous engagement with visitors at the venue will obscure all the toil and travails and I feel a certainty that it will be a fabulous adventure!

I'm taking this on because I truly enjoy the experience, & interactions with all the wonderful folks who attend these events, and I believe that the Clan Buchanan Society International is a very positive addition to any Celtic, or Scottish event, and it is long past time for our Clan presence to be seen, heard, & felt in Beautiful British Columbia. (I can't believe it's going to take an Albertan to ignite the fire of Clan Buchanan pride in B.C.!)

That said, it is a substantial effort, & it is my hope that I will encounter a potential convener(s) who resides in the Vancouver, or lower B.C. mainland area willing and able to attend future events to continue a presence at the local venues and 'carry the torch' forward on behalf of Clan Buchanan. Please contact me for any details and to support me!

Clar Innis!