The Middle Tennessee Highland Games & Celtic Festival is coming up on Sept. 7 and 8. This unique, family-friendly festival celebrates Celtic and Scottish traditions, and portions of this year’s ticket sales will benefit the Tennessee Breast Cancer Coalition. The festival, which will take place at Sanders Ferry Park in Hendersonville, has been around since 2015.
I spoke with founder Richard Trest about why he started the festival and what visitors can expect this year.
How did the festival get started?
“In 2015, my wife and I had been attending Scottish festivals around the country with some friends, the Wards and the McGees. One night around a campfire, Andy Ward jumped over the fire and declared, ‘We need to restart the Highland games in Nashville.’ We started our games at the Hermitage with hand-built stages and purchased tents; we had 2,700 attending that first year. In 2023, that had grown to 10,000!
“The games offer a great variety for families to attend, with heavy athletic events, hundreds of bagpipes and drums, two stages of traditional and Celtic rock music, dozens of Celtic food and merchandise vendors, Highland and Irish dancers, and a great kid zone. We also have over 50 Scottish clan families who will help you research your family name to see if it has any Scotch-Irish history.”
What exciting things do you have planned for this year's Highland Games?
“For 2024, we have added a Highland dance competition, live Highland coos (cows) and sheep, the band The American Rogues (and eight other bands and performers). We also have a pre-festival party at Half Batch Brewing on Friday night, and a professional pipe competition on Friday night at The Woman’s Club of Nashville. We have a Scotch whiskey tasting and have added a beer tasting session, as well as a true Scottish chef education session.”
What are some of your favorite memories of the Highland Games?
“The first few years were a learning experience. Homemade dance stages were not level enough. Heavy wind and rain in 2017 ruined tents, and weather forecasts over the years hurt attendance.
“A great moment was when Ana Cristina Cash was set to sing our national anthem when the sound system died. John Carter Cash (wearing his dad’s kilt) said, ‘Anna, go sing your song.’ No mic on a football-sized outdoor field. As she sang, beautifully, the thousands around the field joined in.
“We had a sheep escape in Bellevue while at Percy Warner Park. Took them two weeks to catch her, and the Bellevue community opened a Facebook page, Belle-ewe, to track sightings!
“Our second year, one of our athletes broke a world record in the hammer throw! Too many magic moments to list.”
