Smoky Mountain Scottish Festival and Games

27/08/2026

Thank you for being a light to the people of the Smoky Mountains and to the world. We will always love you, Dolly.🦋

It doesn’t seem real, Ms. Dolly, that you’re gone. The impact you had on this world is bigger than words can express. We all feel your loss, especially here in East Tennessee.

We’ve had the incredible honor of meeting and playing for you at Dollywood. We still talk about that experience, and we had always hoped we’d have the chance to do it again.

Thank you for sharing your stories and your music with the world. Thank you for supporting our local community and for the gift of Imagination Library. Thank you for simply being you. You made the world a better place.

Your kindness, generosity, music, and legacy will live on in all of us.

We will always love you. ❤️

23/08/2026

The Dandridge Scots-Irish Festival is coming up on Saturday, September 26th! Be sure to save the date because this is always a fun one — and it’s free! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

The festival has many activities for children of all ages! Come spend the day with us!

17/08/2026

Proud of Knox Pipe & Drums!

The Knoxville Pipes & Drums have made history on the global stage, becoming the first-ever pipe band from the state of Tennessee to compete at the prestigious World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. This is how the band managed to secure a spot alongside thousands of performers on the world’s biggest stage⬇️

13/08/2026

Looking good! 🤩

The countdown is officially on, Maryville!
We are so close to opening our doors, and we couldn’t resist giving you a quick sneak peek behind the scenes. We are transforming our historic 1887 building at 114 E Broadway Avenue into an authentic Scottish escape right in the heart of downtown. Get ready for the perfect mix of traditional pub warmth downstairs, Maryville’s very first rooftop bar experience upstairs, and a hidden surprise tucked away inside. Take a look at our progress below—we can’t wait to raise a glass with you very soon. Slàinte!

05/08/2026

Who’s headed to Stone Mountain Highland Games in October?! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Come join us for one of the largest Scottish parties this side of the pond.
54th Stone Mountain Highland Games and Scottish Festival
October 16 - 18, 2026
Tickets are on sale now. Don’t miss out.
https://www.smhg.org/ticketing.php

19/07/2026

… And our favorite part of the World Cup was the American X Scottish love affair! 💙🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Spain are World Champions.

Nobody has beaten them in 90 minutes of competitive football since March 2023…

When Scotland won 2-0 at Hampden.

So technically, Scotland are World Champions.

We don’t make the rules. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏆

15/07/2026

Always a fun event! Have you been to the Great Smoky Mountain Hot Air Balloon Festival before? It’s coming up on August 16th!

Fun for the whole family. 🎈

Join us for the Great Smoky Mountain Hot Air Balloon Festival in Townsend. This family-friendly fundraiser brings hot air balloons, local vendors, live entertainment, food, and Smoky Mountain views together for one unforgettable night.

Make it even more memorable with the Sip TN Wine Experience, featuring samples from 12+ Tennessee wineries, meaderies, and cideries. Additional ticket required; guests must be 21+ with a valid photo ID.

Proceeds benefit the Townsend Volunteer Fire Department and Townsend Elementary School, supporting vital services and education in the local community.

📍 Greater Smokies Event Grounds, Townsend, TN
📅 August 15, 2026
⏰ 3–9 p.m.

Learn More & Get Your Tickets: www.gsmballoonfest.com

Greater Smokies Events

08/07/2026

Sharing more great Scottish history and the role it played in the shaping of America! If you haven’t visited the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center, go follow their page and check out the amazing events they host through the year. They are a great sponsor of the Smoky Mountain Scottish Festival!

🇺🇸 Appalachia in the Revolution: Mary Patton

They called her Gunpowder Mary, and she earned it.

Born to Scottish parents, Mary McKeehan learned the art of gunpowder making at her father's mill near Carlisle, Pennsylvania. When the British outlawed gunpowder manufacture in the Colonies, she and her husband John packed up the mill and headed for Overmountain country. Legend has it she burned the place down on her way out so the British wouldn't find it.

In what is now East Tennessee, the Pattons built a new mill on a creek that still bears the name: Powder Branch. When 850 frontiersmen marched on Kings Mountain in 1780, Mary Patton supplied them with more than 500 pounds of gunpowder. The victory that followed helped turn the tide of the war in the South.

Come honor 250 years of history with the Independence 250 Concert on the Fourth at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center. Tickets are limited. Reserve yours at gsmheritagecenter.org.

Images: "Possible portrait of Mary Patton, from DNA ancestry," painted by Jeff Trexler. "Mary Patton: Gunpowder Maker," sculpture by Mary Ruden.

05/07/2026

Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, Inc. coming up! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Daily Events at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games

July 9-12, 2026

04/07/2026

250 Years of Scottish Influence on America 🇺🇸🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of America's founding, we also honor the remarkable Scots who helped shape the nation. One of the most influential was John Witherspoon (1723–1794).

Born in Scotland and ordained in the Church of Scotland, Witherspoon immigrated to America to become president of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University). He went on to sign the Declaration of Independence, serve in the Continental Congress, and help lay the intellectual and moral foundations of a new nation.

His life reminds us that the Scottish spirit of faith, education, perseverance, and liberty helped forge the United States.

At the Smoky Mountain Scottish Festival, we're proud to celebrate this enduring Scottish-American legacy as we commemorate 250 years of American independence. Join us as we honor the history, heritage, music, culture, and people whose stories continue to inspire generations.

"If your cause is just, you may look with confidence to the Lord and entreat Him to plead it as His own." — John Witherspoon, May 17, 1776