If you want a snapshot of Scottish culture while having a rousing good time, then go to the Highland Games. They can be found all over the world—a tradition hundreds of years old that’s more popular than ever. 

The games began as gatherings of Scotland’s many clans. For days, they would compete in athletics, music, and dancing. Traditional sports showed off the brute strength of each clan’s men, with events like the caber toss, shot put, tug of war, and the hammer throw. Today, men and women both compete in the heavy events. The games were also a chance for the best bagpipers, fiddlers, and harpists of each clan to compete. 

The Highland Games are believed to have started in Ireland around 2000 B.C. They arrived in Scotland during migrations in the 4th or 5th centuries. In ancient times, the games served as a way for military leaders to identify the strongest men for their armies. 

The games disappeared in 1746, when the British Army crushed Scotland’s Jacobite Rebellion and outlawed Scottish customs, gatherings, and traditional dress for nearly 40 years. When the restrictions were lifted, the games came back with vigor. They’ve remained a vital expression of Scottish identity and culture ever since. 

Today, the Highland Games are played all over the world. Wherever they’re played, each region brings its own customs and traditions to the event. Scots have been celebrating the games in the U.S. since 1836. Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway all have their own Highland Games traditions that were brought over by Scottish immigrants.