Last verified: August 2026. The 2026 dates, ticket prices, parking requirements, Friday events, Saturday and Sunday schedules, participating clans, Guest of Honor, competitions, accessibility services, pet rules, and host hotel information were checked against the official Stone Mountain Highland Games and Stone Mountain Park websites.
The Stone Mountain Highland Games & Scottish Festival bring one of the largest Scottish gatherings in the Southeast to Stone Mountain Park outside Atlanta, Georgia.
The 2026 celebration is the 54th Stone Mountain Highland Games. Friday programs take place on October 16, 2026 at the event’s host hotel, followed by the main Highland Games at Stone Mountain Park on Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18.
The Games combine Scottish heavy athletics, pipe bands, solo piping and drumming, Highland dance, more than 100 clan associations and Scottish societies, Scottish country dancing, fiddling, sheepdogs, falconry, spinning and weaving, Celtic music, children’s activities, the Tartan Forest, vendors, food, and public ceremonies.
Important: Celtic Studio is not the organizer of the Stone Mountain Highland Games. Games admission and vehicle entry into Stone Mountain Park are separate purchases. Always confirm last-minute schedules and policies through the official Stone Mountain Highland Games website.
Stone Mountain Highland Games Quick Facts
| Event | Stone Mountain Highland Games & Scottish Festival |
|---|---|
| Edition | 54th annual Games |
| Full weekend | October 16–18, 2026 |
| Main Games | October 17–18, 2026 |
| Saturday hours | 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; field opens at 8:00 a.m. |
| Sunday hours | 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; field opens at 8:00 a.m. |
| Venue | Stone Mountain Park |
| Address | 1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd, Stone Mountain, GA 30083 |
| Advance adult admission | $22.50 per day |
| Gate adult admission | $25 per day |
| Children | Age 12 and under free with parent or adult |
| Park vehicle entry | Separate from Games admission; current online daily parking is $20 per vehicle |
| Clan gathering | More than 100 clan associations and Scottish societies traditionally participate |
| 2026 Guest of Honor | William St. John Somerville McAlester of Loup and Kennox, Chief of the Name and Arms of MacAlister |
| Weather policy | Rain or shine |
| Pets | Pets are not permitted on the Games grounds |
What Are the Stone Mountain Highland Games?
Stone Mountain Park has hosted Highland Games since 1972. Over more than five decades, the event has developed into one of the best-known Scottish festivals in the southeastern United States.
The modern Games fill the park’s Special Events Meadow and surrounding tree-lined paths with a combination of serious competition and cultural interpretation. Visitors can move from professional Highland athletes to an all-afternoon pipe band competition, then continue into Clan Row, the Tartan Forest, Scottish country dancing, spinning and weaving, sheepdog demonstrations, live Celtic music, or children’s athletics.
That breadth is what distinguishes Stone Mountain. This is not an event where the entire Scottish program is concentrated around one athletic field. It is a large multi-area gathering that rewards visitors who study the schedule before arrival.
For background on how these traditions relate to the wider Highland Games movement, read What Are the Scottish Highland Games?.
Which Day Should You Attend?
Saturday and Sunday are both full Games days, but their programs are noticeably different.
| Day Best for Key events | ||
|---|---|---|
| Friday | Whisky, professional piping, Scottish country dancing, host-hotel atmosphere | Whisky Seminar, Professional Piping Competition, evening hotel events |
| Saturday | Pipe bands, major athletics, opening ceremony, Highland dance, shopping, clans | Massed Bands, opening ceremony, roughly 30 competitive pipe bands, heavy athletics |
| Sunday | Kirkin’ of the Tartans, Clan Challenge, Parade of Tartans, sheepdogs, falconry | Kirkin’, Kilted Race, Clan Challenge, Parade of Tartans, closing ceremonies |
If pipe band competition is your main reason for visiting, Saturday afternoon is the strongest choice. If the clan ceremony, Kirkin’ of the Tartans, sheepdogs, or Clan Challenge matter most, Sunday deserves serious consideration.
Friday Events at the Host Hotel
Friday is not a regular field day at Stone Mountain Park. Official activities take place at the Games host hotel, Hilton Atlanta Northeast in Peachtree Corners.
Hilton Atlanta Northeast 5993 Peachtree Industrial Blvd Peachtree Corners, GA 30092
The current 2026 schedule includes:
- 2:30 p.m. Whisky Seminar & Tasting;
- 6:15 p.m. Professional Piping Competition;
- 8:00 p.m. Sponsors & Patrons Welcome Reception, invitation only;
- 8:00 p.m. Scottish Country Dancing Fall Gala, spectators welcome.
The whisky seminar is adults-only and currently costs $40. Additional Friday programming may still be announced, so check the official Friday schedule before travelling.
Stone Mountain Highland Games Tickets
General admission is sold separately for Saturday and Sunday.
| Admission Advance At gate | ||
|---|---|---|
| Saturday adult | $22.50 | $25 |
| Sunday adult | $22.50 | $25 |
| Children 12 and under | Free with parent/adult | Free with parent/adult |
The Saturday night Scottish Evening Ceilidh is separately ticketed at $15.
Use the official Stone Mountain Highland Games ticket page for current sales and availability.
Games Admission and Stone Mountain Park Parking Are Separate
This is the most important logistical detail for first-time visitors.
A Stone Mountain Highland Games ticket does not include vehicle entry into Stone Mountain Park.
The current park pricing lists:
- $20 for a daily parking pass purchased online;
- $40 for an annual parking pass;
- parking prices may be higher when purchased on-site.
The Highland Games ticketing page also advertises a discounted annual park pass using its current promotional instructions. Check both websites before purchasing because park prices and promotions can change independently of Games admission.
Official parking information is available on the Stone Mountain Park parking page.
Parking Shuttles and the Tartan Taxi
Stone Mountain Highland Games provides shuttle transportation from outer parking areas to the Games entrance.
There is currently a discrepancy between the shuttle cutoff times displayed on different official Games pages. The homepage lists later final shuttle times than the individual daily schedules. Because of that conflict, do not plan your return around the last possible shuttle. Confirm the final time on event signage when you arrive.
Tartan Taxi for Limited Mobility
Stone Mountain also operates its long-running Tartan Taxi service for visitors with mobility limitations.
Eight-passenger carts help guests travel between the parking area and the Games field and can assist with transportation around the event. Any Games volunteer carrying a radio can contact the Tartan Taxi team.
The service is intended primarily for transporting people rather than large quantities of equipment. Visitors bringing substantial gear should make separate arrangements for moving it.
Saturday Schedule Highlights
The official Saturday schedule runs from an 8:00 a.m. field opening through the 5:00 p.m. massed-band finale.
- 8:00 a.m. Games field opens;
- 9:00 a.m. athletics, Highland dance, solo piping and drumming begin;
- 12:00 noon official opening ceremonies, guest introductions, and Massed Pipes & Drums;
- 1:00 p.m. afternoon Highland dance and athletics resume;
- 1:30 p.m. pipe band competition begins on the Main Parade Field;
- 4:30 p.m. athletic awards;
- 5:00 p.m. Massed Pipes & Drums and awards ceremony;
- 8:00 p.m. Scottish Evening Ceilidh at the host hotel.
Schedules can change, so save the current official Saturday schedule shortly before travelling.
Sunday Schedule Highlights
Sunday has a different rhythm and includes several of the weekend’s most clan-focused events.
- 8:00 a.m. Games field opens and Heavy Athletics Clinic;
- 9:00 a.m. non-denominational Worship Service and Kirking of Tartans;
- 9:30 a.m. athletic competition;
- 10:15 a.m. Highland dance competition;
- 10:30 a.m. Scottish country dancing and all-day music session;
- 10:30 a.m. Kilted Race;
- 11:00 a.m. sheepdog presentation;
- 1:00 p.m. Massed Pipes & Drums, Parade of Tartans, and Clan Challenge;
- 2:15 p.m. sheepdog herding demonstration;
- 3:30 p.m. Scottish Falconry Exhibition;
- 4:30 p.m. closing ceremonies and Massed Pipes & Drums.
Visitors whose main interest is Scottish family heritage may find Sunday particularly rewarding because the Parade of Tartans and Clan Challenge put clan organizations more visibly into the program.
Pipe Bands, Piping, and Drumming
Stone Mountain has one of the largest competitive pipe band programs in the Southeast.
Because the Games take place late in the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association competition season, the organizer says it is typical for around 30 pipe bands from across the country to compete on the Main Parade Field.
The weekend separates piping into several formats:
- Professional Open Solo Piping at the host hotel on Friday;
- solo piping and drumming grades on Saturday morning;
- pipe band competition on Saturday afternoon;
- individual band appearances throughout the weekend;
- massed-band performances during major ceremonies.
If pipes and drums are your priority, Saturday is the day to protect on your calendar.
Scottish Heavy Athletics
The Highland Heavies compete across both Games days.
Events listed by the organizer include:
- Hammer Throw;
- Weight Throw;
- Weight Toss;
- Stone of Strength;
- Sheaf Toss;
- Caber Toss.
The Stone of Strength has an especially local character because the competition uses a piece of Stone Mountain.
Saturday includes Professional Masters, Professional, Amateur A, and Amateur B divisions. The Women’s Division takes the athletic field on Sunday, which also includes a special Clan Challenge.
Highland Dance
Stone Mountain hosts two full days of competitive Highland dance.
Dancers from the United States and Canada compete in traditional Highland dances and Scottish National dances before experienced judges. The competition demonstrates why Highland dance should be treated as an athletic discipline as well as a cultural performance.
Judging depends on technique, timing, control, posture, positioning, and musical interpretation. Tartan dress is visually important, but costume is only one part of a demanding competitive tradition.
The Gathering of the Clans
Clan participation is one of Stone Mountain’s greatest strengths.
The organizer states that more than 100 clan associations and Scottish societies participate in the annual Gathering of the Clans. The current 2026 list already includes families and organizations representing names such as Anderson, Armstrong, Bruce, Buchanan, Cameron, Campbell, Davidson, Douglas, Fraser, Gordon, Graham, Gunn, MacAlister, MacDonald, MacKenzie, MacLean, MacLeod, Munro, Murray, Ross, Sinclair, Stewart, Wallace, and many more.
The number and diversity of tents make Stone Mountain especially useful for visitors researching more than one branch of a family.
2026 Guest of Honor: Chief of Clan MacAlister
The official 2026 Guest of Honor is William St. John Somerville McAlester of Loup and Kennox, Chief of the Name and Arms of MacAlister.
He was recognized as chief by the Lord Lyon King of Arms in 1991. His presence gives visitors interested in Clan MacAlister an unusually direct connection with the living chiefly tradition.
Before visiting Clan Row, use the Scottish Clan Finder below to search your surname and compare the matching Celtic Studio clan collections.
Scottish Clan Finder
Find Your Scottish Clan Before the Games
Search your Scottish clan or family name to find matching Celtic Studio clan crest products before visiting the clan and society tents at the Gathering of the Clans at Stone Mountain.
Tip: try Mac and Mc spelling variations. Some surnames may connect with more than one Scottish tradition.
Loading Celtic Studio Scottish clan collections...
Clan tents are excellent places to ask questions, but a tent representative cannot replace documentary genealogy. Bring alternative surname spellings, family locations, dates, and information from both maternal and paternal lines when possible.
The Tartan Forest
One of Stone Mountain’s most distinctive features is the Tartan Forest, maintained by the St. Andrew’s Society of Atlanta.
Clan and family tartans hang among the trees behind the Scottish Country Dance platform, creating a walk-through visual reference to Scottish families and textile traditions.
The display is especially useful for visitors who arrive knowing a family name but have never seen the related tartan in a larger format.
Scottish Tartan Museum Exhibit
The Games also host interpretation connected with the Scottish Tartans Museum.
The exhibit explores the development of tartan and Highland clothing, along with the experience of Scottish emigrants in the American Southeast. It gives useful context to the kilts and clan tartans visible throughout the festival.
Historically, tartan was connected with regional textile traditions before becoming increasingly associated with specific clans and families. Modern clan tartan systems are therefore best understood as traditions that developed over time rather than as a perfectly fixed medieval uniform system.
Scottish Fiddling and Country Dancing
The Fiddling Tent provides another musical tradition alongside the dominant sound of the pipes.
Stone Mountain also presents Scottish country dancing in longwise, square, and other group formations accompanied by reels, jigs, and strathspeys.
Highland dance and Scottish country dancing are not interchangeable. Highland dance is primarily a solo competitive tradition, while Scottish country dancing is a social group dance tradition.
Sheepdogs, Falconry, Spinning, and Weaving
The cultural exhibit program extends beyond tartans and music.
Scottish Sheepdogs
Working sheepdogs demonstrate the communication between dog, handler, and livestock that developed in pastoral communities.
Falconry
Members of the Georgia Falconry Association present birds of prey and explain the long history of working partnerships between humans and trained hawks and falcons.
Spinning and Weaving
Demonstrators explain the transformation of wool into usable fibre and cloth. These skills were fundamental to Highland life long before tartan became primarily a modern heritage symbol.
Wee Laddies and Lassies Children’s Area
Stone Mountain has a dedicated children’s program with scaled-down Scottish athletics, crafts, and themed games.
Kid-sized athletics include:
- Caber Toss;
- Clachneart Stone or Stone of Strength;
- Weight Throw;
- Hammer Throw;
- Sheaf Toss.
Additional Scottish-themed activities include the Haggis Hurl, Sheep Toss, Scottish Salmon Fishing Challenge, St. Andrew’s Golf Challenge, crafts, face painting, and other supervised festival activities.
This makes Stone Mountain particularly strong for families because children can participate rather than spending the entire day watching adult competitions.
Shopping, Food, and Celtic Vendors
Stone Mountain traditionally hosts one of the larger Scottish and Celtic vendor areas in the Southeast.
Visitors can expect:
- tartan and Highland clothing;
- Scottish and Celtic jewelry;
- heritage merchandise;
- artisans and craftspeople;
- Scottish and British foods;
- festival merchandise;
- specialist Celtic musical and cultural products.
Vendor availability changes from year to year, so use the current official shopping page when one particular merchant matters to your visit.
What Should You Wear?
You do not need Scottish ancestry, a clan tartan, or a kilt to attend.
A practical October outfit should account for a full outdoor day, walking between fields, wooded paths, grass, and changing Georgia weather.
Useful choices include:
- comfortable walking shoes;
- breathable daytime clothing;
- a removable layer for cooler mornings;
- sun protection;
- a lightweight waterproof layer when rain is possible.
Kilts, tartans, clan crest badges, plaid brooches, kilt pins, rings, and pendants are common ways to represent Scottish heritage without requiring full formal Highland dress.
Choose Highland dress or casual Scottish accessories according to weather and comfort. Read the complete Highland Games attire guide.
Scottish Clan Accessories for Stone Mountain
With more than 100 clan and society organizations participating, Stone Mountain is one of the strongest events in this content series for connecting surname research with clan-specific heritage items.
Relevant Celtic Studio options include:
- Scottish clan crest cap badges;
- kilt pins;
- plaid brooches;
- clan crest rings;
- clan crest pendants;
- belt buckles;
- Scottish family keepsakes.
Browse the Highland Games Gifts and Scottish Clan Accessories page or the Scottish Gifts collection. Made-to-order pieces should be ordered well before the October weekend.
Where to Stay
The official 2026 host hotel is the Hilton Atlanta Northeast in Peachtree Corners.
Current Games rates are listed as:
- King room: $134 nightly;
- Two Queen beds: $144 nightly;
- special rates available Thursday through Sunday.
Remember that Friday events and official programs held outside Stone Mountain Park take place at the host hotel.
Inside Stone Mountain Park, accommodation options include the Inn at Stone Mountain Park, Atlanta Evergreen Lakeside Resort, and Stone Mountain Park Campground.
Practical Visitor Tips
Buy Two Different Things If You Drive
You need Games admission and a Stone Mountain Park vehicle entry pass. They are not the same ticket.
Saturday Is the Pipe Band Day
If you want the largest concentration of competitive pipe bands, protect Saturday afternoon for the Main Parade Field.
Sunday Is Stronger for Clan Ceremony
The Kirkin’, Parade of Tartans, and Clan Challenge make Sunday particularly valuable for visitors interested in clan tradition.
Do Not Wait for the Last Shuttle
Current official pages display inconsistent final shuttle times. Confirm the day’s actual cutoff at the Games entrance and leave yourself a buffer.
Use the Tartan Taxi When Mobility Is Limited
The service exists specifically to help guests who have difficulty covering the distance between parking and the field.
Research Several Family Names
With more than 100 clan organizations present, bring surnames from multiple family branches rather than researching only your paternal surname.
Leave Pets at Home
The official Games rules state that pets are not allowed on the Games grounds.
Prepare for Rain or Sun
The event operates rain or shine. Comfortable footwear, layers, sunscreen, and rain protection are more valuable than dressing only for photographs.
Stone Mountain Highland Games Frequently Asked Questions
When are the Stone Mountain Highland Games in 2026?
The main Highland Games are Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18, 2026. Host-hotel events begin Friday, October 16.
What time do the Games run?
The official festival hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, with the Games field opening at 8:00 a.m.
Where are the Stone Mountain Highland Games held?
The main Games take place at Stone Mountain Park, 1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd, Stone Mountain, Georgia 30083.
How much are Stone Mountain Highland Games tickets?
Current adult admission is $22.50 in advance or $25 at the gate for either Saturday or Sunday. Children age 12 and under enter free with a parent or adult.
Does a Highland Games ticket include parking?
No. Vehicle entry into Stone Mountain Park is separate. The current online daily parking pass is $20 per vehicle.
How many clans attend?
The organizer states that more than 100 clan associations and Scottish societies participate in the annual Gathering of the Clans.
Who is the 2026 Guest of Honor?
The 2026 Guest of Honor is William St. John Somerville McAlester of Loup and Kennox, Chief of the Name and Arms of MacAlister.
When is the pipe band competition?
The main pipe band competition begins Saturday afternoon. The Games regularly attract a large field of competing bands from across the United States.
Is there a Kirkin’ of the Tartans?
Yes. The Sunday schedule begins with a non-denominational worship service and Kirking of Tartans at 9:00 a.m.
Are there activities for children?
Yes. The Wee Laddies and Lassies area includes kid-sized Highland athletics, Scottish-themed games, crafts, and entertainment.
Are pets allowed?
No. The official Games rules state that pets are not allowed on the grounds.
Do I have to wear a kilt?
No. Kilts and tartans are welcome but completely optional.
Plan Your Stone Mountain Highland Games Visit
Stone Mountain is one of the most complete Highland Games experiences in the United States because competition, clan participation, music, dance, textile history, living traditions, children’s programming, and large public ceremonies all operate at significant scale.
Before travelling:
- buy Games admission;
- buy or confirm your Stone Mountain Park parking pass separately;
- choose Saturday for the strongest pipe band program or Sunday for the strongest clan ceremony program;
- save the current daily schedule;
- confirm shuttle hours on arrival;
- research several family surnames before entering Clan Row;
- prepare for a full outdoor day.
Continue through the Celtic Studio Highland Games silo:
- Explore the Scottish Highland Games guide
- Browse Highland Games event listings
- Read the history of the Highland Games
- Learn what to wear to Highland Games
- Plan the Scotland County Highland Games
- Explore the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games
- Plan the Seaside Highland Games in California
Official and primary sources: Stone Mountain Highland Games, tickets, Friday schedule, Saturday schedule, Sunday schedule, competitions, clans and societies, cultural exhibits, children’s activities, Tartan Taxi, accommodations, and Stone Mountain Park parking.