Northumberland Highland Games 2026
Northumberland Highland Games 2026 will take place on June 19 – 20, 2026, at Port Hope Agricultural Park in Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. The 62nd Northumberland Scottish Festival and Highland Games will feature pipe and drum bands, Highland dancers, heavy events athletes, ceilidhs, Clan Avenue, vendors, children’s activities, and Celtic entertainment.
⚔️ What to Expect
The Northumberland Scottish Festival and Highland Games is a volunteer-run Scottish cultural festival held in Port Hope. The 2026 edition brings together traditional competition, music, dance, community celebration, and Celtic heritage across two days.
Festival highlights include:
- Pipe and drum bands
- Highland dancers
- Heavy events athletes
- Free Friday and Saturday ceilidhs
- Lakeshore Open Highland Dance Championships
- Clan Avenue
- Vendors
- Children’s activities
- Celtic entertainment
The combination of athletic events, dance championships, music, family programming, and clan representation makes the festival a strong celebration of Scottish culture in Ontario.
🎶 Ceilidhs and Celtic Entertainment
The 2026 program includes free Friday and Saturday ceilidhs, adding a lively social element to the weekend. These gatherings form an important part of the festival atmosphere, bringing music, community, and Celtic tradition together beyond the main competitive events.
Visitors can also enjoy pipe and drum performances, Highland dance, vendor areas, children’s activities, and entertainment connected to Scottish and broader Celtic heritage.
🏰 Venue: Port Hope Agricultural Park
Port Hope Agricultural Park is located at 62 McCaul Street in Port Hope. The park is a community outdoor venue used for seasonal events, fairs, recreation, and local gatherings. Its open-air layout makes it suitable for Highland Games, pipe band performances, dance events, vendors, and family activities.
The venue can be reached by road through Port Hope’s local street network, with regional access from Highway 401 and County Road 2 along the Lake Ontario corridor.
📍 About Port Hope
Port Hope is a historic municipality on the north shore of Lake Ontario. It has a population of around 17,294 residents and is known for its preserved downtown, lakeside setting, heritage buildings, and long-standing community traditions.
The town developed as an important Lake Ontario settlement and remains closely connected to regional travel routes. Visitors can reach Port Hope by car via Highway 401, by the scenic County Road 2 route along the shoreline, or by rail through the local VIA Rail station.
🚗 Approximate Distances from Port Hope Agricultural Park
Major Cities in Ontario
| City | Approx. Distance |
|---|---|
| Oshawa, ON | 39 miles |
| Peterborough, ON | 25 miles |
| Toronto, ON | 68 miles |
| Kingston, ON | 102 miles |
| Hamilton, ON | 110 miles |
| Ottawa, ON | 205 miles |
Major Cities in Canada
| City | Approx. Distance |
|---|---|
| Montréal, QC | 235 miles |
| Québec City, QC | 393 miles |
| Winnipeg, MB | 1,245 miles |
| Calgary, AB | 2,030 miles |
| Edmonton, AB | 2,065 miles |
| Vancouver, BC | 2,620 miles |
🎟 Tickets
Tickets for Northumberland Highland Games 2026 are available online:
Nearby events
Date:
June 19 - June 20
Location:
Port Hope
,
Ontario
Organizer:
Cobourg Highland Games Society
Official website:
www.northumberlandhighlandgames.ca