In addition to the thrilling performances on the main stage, Glasgow Lands offers a vibrant array of entertainment throughout the festival grounds. From the stirring sounds of harp circles and the spectacle of pipe and drum bands to interactive experiences like the Drum Major competition and the whimsical delights of the Wee Folk Pavilion, there’s something to enchant every visitor. Whether you’re drawn to the rhythm of Celtic music, the skill of Highland athletes, or the charm of traditional crafts and children’s activities, the festival is alive with discovery at every turn.
Activities Include:
- Historic Highlanders – Reenactments
- Pipe Band Competition
- Individual Pipe/Drum Competition
- Highland Dance Competition
- Highland Athletic Games
- Stone Lifting Try-It Station – all ages
- Pioneer Valley Harper’s Guild
- Genealogist
weavers guild of springfield
Children’s Activities
From sack races and face painting to crafts, games, and storytelling in the Wee Folk Pavilion, there’s no shortage of fun for the little ones. With a lively, family-friendly atmosphere, the festival creates lasting memories for kids while connecting them to Scottish culture in playful and meaningful ways. Activities include: Water Spray Park, Train Rides (Park fee applies), Weaving with Spinners and Weaver’s Guild of Springfield (Located in the Mini Shelter)
Children’s Highland Games: 1:30 – 3:30 (next to the Water Spray Park)
Rope Pull • Face Painting • Caber Toss • Haggis Toss • Sack Race
weavers guild of springfield
Spinners & Weavers
The Weavers Guild of Springfield was established in the fall of 1952 and currently meets from September through May on the first Saturday of these months at the East Longmeadow Public Library. The Guild has supported the Scottish Festival from its inception by demonstrating weaving and spinning. The Guild also demonstrated weaving at Craft Adventure and the Big E, and previously at Laughing Brook and Longmeadow Days. Our members enjoy demonstrating the techniques of weaving to all but especially to children. At all demonstrations looms are available for children of all ages to try. The Guild will be demonstrating weaving & spinning all day at the Festival from 9 am to 5 pm. Please visit them in playground area at Look Park and learn about their fascinating craft.
traditional scottish breeds
Animal Events and Attractions
Get ready to meet some of Scotland’s most iconic and lovable creatures at the Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival! From the majestic Highland cattle to the charming Shetland sheep and lively border collies, our animal exhibits bring the spirit of the Highlands to life. Perfect for visitors of all ages, this is your chance to get up close with traditional Scottish breeds and learn about their unique roles in history and culture.
Herding Demonstration: 10:30am & 1:30pm
Animals you might see:
DOGS: Golden Retriever • Australian Terrier • Scottish Terrier • Border Terrier • Cairn Terrier • Skye Terrier • West Highland Terrier • Rough Collie • Smooth Collie • Dandie Dinmont • Shetland Sheepdog • Scottish Deerhound • Gordon Setter • Bearded Collie • Wheaton Coloured Scotie • Western Massachusetts Shetland Sheepdog Club
SHEEP: Blackface • Chevoit • Jacob • Shetland
CATTLE: Ayshire • Belted Galloway • Black Angus • Highland
HORSES & PONIES: Clydesdale Horse • Shetland Pony
Pop Up Music across from Information Booth
Young Folk is a Celtic focused acoustic duo made up of brothers Tom and Andrew. Despite currently
residing on different sides of the Mississippi, St. Louis, MO and Peterborough, NH, the pair still find time to meet up and bring their love of performing to pubs, breweries, parades, and special events. They’re high energy and engaging performances have garnered the attention and delight of audiences of all ages.
Young Folk
STONE LIFTING TRY-IT STATION
Stonelifting Try-It Station
Try-It classes give you the opportunity to delve into Scottish culture hands-on. Clach Cuid Fir is Scottish Gaelic for “manhood stones”. Historically, they were heavy, natural boulders used across Scotland as traditional tests of strength and rites of passage into manhood. They were also used for job interviews. Our Stonelifting Try-It station is open to the public and everyone from toddler to elder are most welcome to give them a try. It will be located in the Clan/Vendor area.
There will be a very special lifting stone making its appearance at Glasgow Lands – the Clach Fear Alba testing stone directly from Scotland.
The Lifting Station is brought to us courtesy of the No Fame Games and the StoneLore Podcast.
“The Clach Fear Alba (267 lbs / 121 kg) is a notable and historic granite Scottish testing stone. It was originally used by Scottish stonelifting legend Martin ‘The Stone Man’ Jancsics as he began training to lift the very famous Inver Stone in 2011. Before donating and shipping it across the ocean to America in 2026, Jancsics decided to further test himself by completing a 14 week, 1,000 lifts-to-chest challenge in 2025. The Clach Fear Alba was gifted to the Scottish diaspora in the USA with the purpose of traveling to Scottish Highland Games and Celtic Festivals around the USA. It is a bridge of strength, connecting all those willing and wanting to test their strength of body and mind with it, the old way. It is also meant as an opportunity for those not able to travel to the Scottish Motherland to touch a piece of the Scottish Highlands and remember their strength.”
What else can you do at the festival?
- Eat traditional Scottish fare – bridies, meat pies & other yummy treats (We also offer traditional American fare for those not so adventurous)
- Eat HAGGIS – for the very adventurous!!!!!
- Watch the Border Collies herding sheep
- Listen to the bagpipes! (‘Tis hard to miss ’em at our Festival!)
- Watch the lads and lassies in our Irish Dance Demonstration
- Play a round of golf at the children’s activities
- Sit a spell and listen to the Pioneer Valley Harper’s Guild play (heavenly!)
- Watch (or compete in) the bonnie knees contest (and laugh heartily!)
- Visit with our Genealogist (and take some “how-to” pamphlets home with you)
- Sit a while & enjoy the entertainment on our main stage
- Get your face painted (sorry, kids only)
- Watch huge men and women in skirts toss a telephone pole (caber) and more
- Make friends with the dogs in our animal area (their owners, too)
- Learn how to weave on a loom
- Take a genealogy class
- Watch a pipe band competition
- See our huge, massed pipe & drum bands (opening & closing ceremonies)
- Buy a treasure or trinket from our Scottish (or other) vendors
- Find your Scottish family name and heritage ‘neath one of the clan tents
- Watch the Highland Athletic competition
- Lift some stones – challenge yourself
- Stay a while at our Celtic Pub and sample the Craft Beer
- Collect clan stamps in your passport (sorry, only children are eligible for prizes)
- Hear the Clans’ battle cries at Opening Ceremonies
- Treat yourself to a Kilt and Tam O’Shanter (perhaps even some Ghillie Brogues)
- Enjoy beautiful Look Park
- Cool down in the spray park
- Sing Scottish ballads with the Pioneer Valley Harper’s Guild.
- But wait, there’s more!! Come to the Festival and find out what ….
