The Celtic Arts Foundation is thrilled to announce that the piping and drumming registration is now open for the 29th Skagit Valley Highland Games! Join us on July 12th & 13th, 2025, 9am to 5pm at the Skagit County Fairgrounds in Mount Vernon, WA, for a two-day celebration of exceptional piping, drumming, competition, and camaraderie.
What’s Happening This Year?
- Solo Competitions – Piping, Snare, Tenor, Bass
- Pipe Band Competition – Showcase your best performances!
- Drum Fanfare and Piping Quartet Competitions
- Plus, Exciting Special Piping Events –
- Skye Richendrfer Memorial Jig Piping Competition – Prizes: 1st: $500 | 2nd: $350 | 3rd: $200 | 4th: $100 | 5th: $50 – Check out last year’s event
- Gordon Duncan Memorial Kitchen Piping Competition – Prizes: 1st: $500 | 2nd: $350 | 3rd: $200 | 4th: $100 | 5th: $50 – Watch last year’s competition
- World-Class Adjudicators – Confirmed Judges include Callum Beaumont, Willie McCallum, and P/M Stuart Liddell MBE
- Master of Ceremony – Dr. Gary West from Enjoy Your Piping podcast
- Main Stage Performances – Featuring Cécilia, Eilidh Shaw & Ross Martin, and more!
- Bigger & Better Than Ever! – We’ve expanded band tent space this year based on your valuable feedback.
Results:
Gordon Duncan Memorial Kitchen Piping Competition
Medley
Judge: C. Beaumont G. West
- Cameron Bonar
- Craig Sutherland
- Zephan Knichel
- Zak Read
- Jack Martin
- Micah Babinski
Skye Richendrfer Memorial Jig Piping Competition
Jig
Judge: Andrew Lee, Ross Martin, Patty Dunn, Michael Connolly
- Jack Martin
- Cameron Bonar
- Craig Sutherland
- Zephan Knichel
- Zak Read
- Vienna Scheyer
Saturday Solo and Band Schedule
Register Now! Click here to register – Registration closes June 27, 2025.
This year’s Highland Games promises more competition categories, extraordinary performances, and a wonderful setting for our regional piping and drumming communities to come together and connect. Register today!
As you plan your journey to our Games, you won’t want to miss our FREE Kick-Off Event – Glenfiddich Champions Night on Friday, July 11, 5pm at Littlefield Celtic Center in Mount Vernon, WA. Enjoy Glenfiddich whisky and special performances by recent Glenfiddich Champions: Callum Beaumont, Willie McCallum, and P/M Stuart Liddell MBE!
If you have any registration questions, please reach out to the Celtic Arts Foundation Executive Director Cayley Schmid <Cayley@celticarts.org>.
Folks at the Celtic Arts Foundation look forward to welcoming you to the 29th Skagit Valley Highland Games, where our shared values of superb music, performance, achievement, and friendship take center stage!
Basic Information for Spectators & FAQs:
Join us at the 29th Annual Skagit Valley Highland Games & Celtic Festival! Our 2025 Schedule will be published in June.
New Location: Skagit County Fairgrounds – 501 Taylor St. Mount Vernon, WA
Dates: Saturday, July 12th and Sunday, July 13th, 2025
Times: 9am to 5pm both days
Tickets: Will be available online and at the gate
Two Entrances:
- North Gate – 1410 Virginia St. Mount Vernon
- South Gate – 501 Taylor St. Mount Vernon
The Skagit Valley Highland Games is part of an annual circuit of Scottish competitions held in the Pacific Northwest and Lower Mainland of British Columbia. As such, the quality of performers in solo bagpiping and drumming competitions, bagpipe bands, fiddling, traditional Scottish athletics (the “heavy” events) and Scottish Highland dancing is at an extremely high level.
The weekend features fun for all ages with children’s activities, sheepdog herding demonstrations, beer and whisky gardens, and more.
Where to stay? Skagit County offers a wide variety of options for visitors, from hotels to motels to RV parks, to B&Bs. Highland Games visitors save 15% on the best available rate at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Burlington–just mention the Celtic Arts Foundation or use this link.
We are pleased to provide information on lodging in Skagit County. Please contact hotels directly to make reservations. We recommend making reservations early.
Entering the Games
You can access the Skagit Valley Highland Games at our North Gate on Virginia St., or at our South Gate on Taylor St. You’ll want to visit our Parking & Transportation page for more information.
