About The Games

The Melbourne Highland Games & Celtic Festival (previously the Ringwood Highland Games) has been held annually since 1967 at the end of March or early April, and is usually the last gathering of the Victorian state season.

Events prior to the Games include a Street March in the Main Street of Croydon shopping precinct during the Maroondah Festival in November, and a Ceilidh on the preceding Friday Night.

The Melbourne Highland Games & Celtic Festival is a gathering in the tradition of the Highland games held in Scotland and other countries to celebrate Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage. In their original form many centuries ago, Highland games revolved around athletic and sports competitions.

Through these competitions the finest athletes were identified. The games were also a way for the clans to demonstrate their relative strength to each other without actually having to go to war.

The bagpipe symbolises music at our Games and, indeed, in Scotland itself. In addition to the massed bands, our gatherings feature a wide range of piping and drumming competition, including solo piping and drumming, small group ensembles and, of course, the pipe bands themselves.

Our event gathers the best competitive Highland & Country dancers from around Australia.

Our games includes other forms of Celtic music, such as dancing, fiddling, harp circles and folk bands.

Various food vendors will also offer assorted types of traditional Celtic refreshment and sustenance.