15-05-2025
43rd Smoky Mountain Scottish Festival returns to Townsend Visitor's Center
TOWNSEND, Tenn. (WATE) — Bagpipes, kilts, and battle-axes will return to Townsend May 17 and 18 for the 43rd Smoky Mountain Scottish Festival & Games.
The annual festival will be held from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday at the Blount Partnership Townsend Visitor's Center. It features clans, competitions, Scotch tasting, sheep herding demonstrations, and performers from across the country. Athletic competitions include the open stone put, hammer throw, caber toss and sheaf toss.
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Multiple ticket pass options are available from $18 to $35, depending on the day and time. Festival goers can save time by buying online. First responders, seniors, veterans, active-duty military and students will receive a discounted rate with ID. Parking is available on the venue grounds for $10 per vehicle, which supports the Townsend Volunteer Fire Department.
Visit for more information.
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The event is one of the oldest Scottish festivals in the country. It was founded in 1981 as the Gatlinburg Scottish Festival and Games and moved to the historic Maryville College in 2010. In 2022, the festival moved to its current home at the Townsend Visitor's Center, just outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park entrance.
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