The Scottish Festival & Highland Games

Everyone is Scottish (for at least one weekend). Each June, we turn the Chicago suburb of Itasca into Aye-tasca with our family-friendly, two day festival. About 15,000 people join us each year for a variety of Scottish activities and attractions from the iconic caber toss to the largest bagpiping and drumming championship in North America. There is truly something for everyone with our Highland Dancing competition, children’s activities, dogs of Scotland, a British Car show, a Celtic rock stage, knobbly knees contest, whisky tasting, genealogy and much more! At our marketplace you can buy everything Scottish….kilts, candy, jewelry and of course shortbread and haggis!

2022 Competition Winners

Heavy Athletics
Open Stone: Nathan Burchett
Heavy Weight for Distance: Elissa Van Vleck
Lightweight for Distance: Nathan Burchett
Heavy Hammer: Chuck Kasson
Caber: Tom Sroka
Sheaf: Chuck Kasson
Weight Over Bar: Elissa Van Vleck

Clan Awards
Best Clan Tent: Clan MacFarlane
Best Pageantry in Parade of Tartans: Clan Hay
Best Military Presentation in Parade: Clan Nesbitt

Heather Queen
Maggie Johnston

Haggis Hurling
Joanne Sherry

Haggis Eating
Chris Wagner

Shortbread Competition
Traditional: Dominic Tunzi
Flavored: Ruth Hutter

Knobbly Knees – Men in Kilts – Adult
Sam Wrobel

Knobbly Knees – Men in Kilts – Junior
Finn Shea

British Car Show
First place: Forrest C. Shields -1961 Light Blue Triumph TR3A
Second place: Steve Skegg – 1967 Green Mini Countryman
Third place: Dean & Kerry Hickenlooper – 1959 Light Blue MG MGA

See below for photos from the 2022 Scottish Festival and Highland Games.