The Victoria Highland Games and Celtic Festival is an annual event that takes place at Victoria’s Topaz Park on the May long weekend each year.
TIP: Another event you might want to check out is ScotFestBC & the BC Highland Games. In 2025 it takes place in Metro Vancouver, in Coquitlam, on June 20th and 21th (which is the weekend after Father’s Day). If you plan to be in the Lower Mainland then, and you like Scottish culture and Highland games, you should attend that event too!
Click these links to skip to specific information about the Victoria Highland Games:
When are the Games | Where are the Games | Hours and Admission | What Happens at the Celtic Festival | What to Expect | Tips & Advice | Other Information
Victoria Highland Games
An annual tradition in Victoria since the mid-1860s, the Highland Games and Celtic Festival is a long-running event. It features hundreds of drummers and bagpipers, all sorts of competitions, Celtic dancing, tartan everywhere and lots of great family-friendly fun. Even if you don’t have Scottish blood, it’s well worth checking out!
When are the Highland Games
The Victoria Highland Games and Celtic Festival takes place on the Victoria Day long weekend. In 2025 the festival happens on the Saturday and Sunday of May 17th and 18th.
Where are the Highland Games
The venue for the Victoria Highland Games is Topaz Park which is bordered by Blanshard Street, Finlayson Street and Topaz Avenue. The park is also kitty-corner to Mayfair Shopping Centre which is located at 3147 Douglas Street.
Parking is available nearby at SJ Willis School at 923 Topaz Avenue and on some (but not all) streets in the neighbourhood.
VICTORIA DAY PARADE AND OTHER ACTIVITIES
Taking place on the same weekend as the Victoria Highland Games & Celtic Festival is the Victoria Day Parade. The parade happens on the holiday Monday (in 2025, it’s on May 19th) in the morning. There is also usually free entertainment in the afternoon on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday. See our article about the Victoria Day Weekend for more details.
Hours and Admission
The Celtic Festival is usually open from 8:00 am to 8:30 pm on the Saturday and 8:00 am to 5:30 pm on the Sunday.
Ticket Prices in 2024
Below were the regular ticket prices during the week leading up to the festival in 2024. Children ages 11 and under had free admission.
One-Day Passes
- Adult – $20
- Senior (65+) – $15
- Youth (12 to 18) – $15
Two-Day Passes
- Adult – $30
- Senior (65+) – $25
- Youth (12 to 18) – $25
What Happens at the Celtic Festival
The Victoria Highland Games and Celtic Festival is a large event with activities and things to see and do all over Topaz Park.
Festival Venues
For the festival, Topaz Park is usually divided into different areas. There is a Clans Area with booths offering information about local Celtic organizations and Celtic culture. The Market Area, meanwhile, features vendors selling everything from tartan clothing to fudge and all kinds of souvenirs.
For the different events themselves there is a large grassy field. This is the site of the opening ceremonies’ marching bands most years, as well as a couple of stages for live performances and a sports field for the heavy competitions. There are animal events as well, with an area set up for dog agility and sheep herding competitions.
There are also a couple of areas primarily for spectators each year. This includes a children’s zone with bouncy castles, an area for food trucks and (of course) a beer garden.
Celtic Festival Activities Schedule
A wide range of activities take place at the Victoria Highland Games event. There are usually Celtic music and dance performances, demonstrations in medieval sword fighting and falconry, whisky tasting opportunities and competitions in dancing, bagpiping, drumming and athletic events like hurling and Gaelic football.
For an idea of what to expect should you attend in 2025, below was the tentative schedule for the festival’s events in 2023.
Saturday, May 20th, 2023
- 8:00 am – 12:00 pm: Amateur Heavy Events
- 9:00 am – 12:00 pm: Solo Piping and Drumming
- 9:00 am – 5:00 pm: Highland Dance Competition
- 10:00 am – 7:30 pm: Celtic Music Tent
- 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm: Opening Ceremonies and Massed Bands
- 12:30 pm – 5:00 pm: Massed Bands
- 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm: Professional Heavy Events
- 1:15 pm – 2:00 pm: Regimental Drum Majors
- 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm: Pipe Band Competition and Invitational Drum Majors
- 6:30 pm – 7:00 pm: Pre-Sunset Ceremony Entertainment
- 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm: Sunset Ceremony
Sunday, May 21st, 2023
- 8:30 am – 12:00 pm: Amateur Heavy Events
- 9:00 am – 12:00 pm: Solo Piping and Drumming
- 9:00 am – 5:00 pm: Highland Dance Competition
- 10:00 am – 6:30 pm: Celtic Music Tent
- 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm: Opening Ceremonies and Massed Bands
- 12:30 pm – 5:00 pm: Professional Heavy Events
- 12:30 pm – 5:00 pm: Massed Bands
- 1:15 pm – 2:00 pm: Regimental Drum Majors
- 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm: Pipe Band Competition and Invitational Drum Majors
- 4:30 pm – 4:50 pm: 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band
For the most up-to-date schedule, see the official Victoria Highland Games website.
What to Expect at the Highland Games
At the Victoria Highland Games and Celtic Festival you can expect to see lots of dancing, tartan and men in kilts. You can also expect to hear lots of bagpiping and drumming, plus the occasional grunt as someone launches a projectile in one of the heavy events competitions.
In the food truck area you can experience all kinds of interesting smells most years. You can expect there to be French fries and Greek food, but also Haggis!
The Highland Games is an exceptional family-friendly event. Expect to learn about Scottish culture, listen to lots of Celtic music, and enjoy the experience along with about 25,000 other people over the course of the weekend!
Tips & Advice
To help you make the most of your experience at the Highland Games, below are some tips and additional information.
TIP #1: Don’t forget to take your camera, especially if you have friends or family in any of the competitions.
TIP #2: If it’s hot and sunny don’t forget your hat and sunscreen as the event is primarily outdoors. There are trees and shaded areas, but it’s mostly out in the open.
TIP #3: Try to be there for the opening ceremonies when they happen. The scene of hundreds of marching band participants with their bagpipes and drums is impressive, as is the firing of the cannon at the start of the event.
TIP #4: Have some Haggis! It’s not every day you get the opportunity to try this traditional Scottish dish.
Other Information
Below are some more important things to know.
- No dogs: The festival is a dog-free event (which is no doubt appreciated by the sheep).
- No smoking: Smoking is not permitted on the festival grounds.
- Parking: Although there is a fair bit of parking in the area, there are also thousands of people at the event. Topaz Park has a parking lot off Finlayson Road, but access is usually limited. Parking is also available, though, nearby at SJ Willis School at 923 Topaz Avenue, as well as on some (but not all) nearby streets including Quadra. If you park on a side street, just look out for the “resident parking only” signs.
For more information about the festival, see the Victoria Celtic Festival website.
For information about other festivals and events, see Victoria’s Events Calendar.
To learn about what’s happening in the Lower Mainland on the Victoria Day long weekend, visit the VancouversBestPlaces.com website.
