The Antigonish Highland Society once again took to Columbus Field this July to celebrate the 159th running of the Antigonish Highland Games. This annual event is a celebration the Scottish heritage that has such an influence on the collective culture of Antigonish. There were highly competitive events in Highland Dance, Piping and Drumming, Heavy Events, the Highland Five Mile Road Race, Tug of War, Cultural Workshops and other competitions and demonstrations take place at Columbus field and throughout the community. With a worldwide reputation for its attention to authenticity, detail, and hospitality, the Games continue to deliver world class entertainment to our community. We could not do it without the engagement of our hundreds of volunteers and the continued generosity of sponsors and partners. To our many local sponsors, support from all levels of government, hundreds of volunteers, and of course the many event attendees we extend a sincere and gracious thank you!

The week of 159th AHG started strong, with high temperatures and clear skies from the Opening Service on Sunday to the first of four sold-out shows of the Ships of 1801 Society’s latest production, “Home From the Boston States” on Thursday. On the other hand, Thursday also brought significant rainfall, and the field crew were greeted by upwards of six inches of standing water in our ceilidh tent on Friday morning. Fortunately dampened soles couldn’t dampen spirits, and with some creativity and hardwork we were able to drain the grounds, and we were blessed during the remaining days with warm temperatures and an even warmer reception from attendees. Patrons arrived in droves to see and cheer as the competitions came together and we were delighted to welcome such a large and enthusiastic audience to the field.

Full results from the 159th AHG will be posted on our website shortly, so check back often!

The 159th Antigonish Highland Games were truly one for the books, and despite some early setbacks it turned out to be one of our best years yet! It was a joy to see all the new and familiar faces back at Columbus Field. We hope you enjoyed your time at the Antigonish Highland Games, and for full details on results, photos and videos, please visit our website: www.antigonishhighlandgames.ca or Facebook and Instagram pages. We hope you’ll join us next year, because it’s gonna be a big one! With the 160th Antigonish Highland Games rapidly approaching, we have already begun planning for what promises to be our biggest year yet! We hope to see you next year, when we once again take to Columbus field from July 6th-13th 2025.

Tapadh Leibh! (Thank you!)

The Antigonish Highland Society