From one stomach to another, this is some Scottish haggis you won’t want to miss.
The Rillito Race Track is hosting the 32nd annual Tucson Celtic Festival and Scottish Highland Games from Friday, November 2 – Sunday, November 4.
If you’ve been itching to wear a kilt, this is your moment to shine. The festival is going to cover the park with more than ten food and beverage vendors taking their own unique stab at traditional and authentic Celtic fare.
If you’ve never tried haggis, or unaware of what it is, this is your chance to grab a bite and also taste Scottish Shepherd’s Pie, mushroom pies, fish and chips, and Welsh cakes. There’s going to be plenty of it, too, with an estimated 5,000 people to attend this year.
This time around, the festival will have more music, athletics, food, and fun, as you celebrate the heritage and culture of the Celtic Nations — just as it’s been done for centuries.
The weekend’s festivities start off with a Pirate Pub Party on Friday, and then things get heated on Saturday and Sunday with family-fun activities and the Southwest Master’s Championship and Women’s North American Lightweight Championship.
Pirate Pub Party
6 – 10 p.m. on Friday, November 2
- Tickets are $5, can be purchased at the gates, and kids under 5 are free
- Come dressed in your best pirate garb
- “Best Legs in a Kilt” Contest
- Games, scavenger hunt, fortune teller, and Scottish Clan torchlight ceremony
- Celtic food, beer, and vendors TBA
- Live music from Cockswain
- Proceeds benefit Parkinson’s Wellness Recovery
Festival Days
9 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Saturday, November 3
9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Sunday, November 4
Both days include musical performances on two stages, Celtic merchants and food vendors, Scottish clans, heritage and cultural booths, educational workshops, athletic competitions, single malt Whisky Tasting Seminars, and more. The Tucson Celtic Festival Association will also be supporting the local charity Aviva Children’s Services.
- Adults – $16
- Seniors or Military – $10
- Two-Day Pass – $22
- Kids (5 – 15 years old) – $6
- Wee Ones (Under 5 years old) – FREE
- Daily Parking – $3
The Highland Games, including the Southwest Master’s Championship and Women’s North American Lightweight Championship, take place throughout the entire weekend. More than 100 amateur athletes will compete in caber toss, weight for height, weight for distance, the Braemar Stone, and sheaf toss.
A Mass Pipe Band will lead the opening ceremony at noon on Saturday. Other performers include Celtica Pipes Rock, Cockswain, John Good, Aris, Out of Kilters, Celtic Moonshine, Lykiska, fire dance group Le Fil D’arians, and students from Maguire Academy of Irish Dance and Celtic Steps.
Children’s activities include games, jumping castles, face painting, and a climbing wall. There’s also going to be a Junior Highland Games, and tickets for this can be purchased separately at the festival.
The Rillito Race Track is located at 4502 N. First Ave. For more information on the events, hours, and prices, visit tucsoncelticfestival.org. Head over to ticketleap.com if you’d like to purchase your tickets.
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Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
