The Kingsville Highland Games made a triumphant return on Saturday, June 27, 2026, at a new location—Colasanti's Tropical Gardens—drawing full parking lots and exceeding organizers' expectations.
Record Turnout After Year-Long Hiatus
Chairman and co-founder Doug Plumb reported that the parking lots on every side of the venue were full shortly after the opening ceremony. “I think we’ve exceeded our hope,” Plumb told the Windsor Star. The 2025 games were cancelled due to a scheduling conflict with a competing event in Ohio.
“We took a year off just to regroup and to look at things, re-evaluate and do things right,” Plumb said. The Highland Games recently became an independent not-for-profit association, allowing for greater control over operations.
Three Pillars and International Participation
Plumb noted that every aspect of the games was successful, built on “three pillars: the dance, the heavies, and of course the pipes.” Participants hailed from all over Ontario and the United States, with tug-of-war teams coming from Northern Ireland, Nova Scotia, and Iowa.
The most popular events included tug-of-war, which drew big crowds, along with sheep shearing, hammer throw, sheaf toss, stone throw, and caber toss. Other highlights were highland dancing, sheep herding, pipes and drumming, a mass band performance, clan villages, and the famous haggis hurl—won this year by Amherstburg Mayor Michael Prue.
Economic Boost for Kingsville
Kingsville Mayor Dennis Rogers emphasized the games' positive impact on the local economy. “People from all over the world come to our neck of the woods to celebrate the Scottish games,” he said. “It’s a great driver for our businesses and as of now… businesses need it now more than ever.”
The municipality has been actively promoting tourism, including a two-year partnership with Kingsville-based trucking firm SK Cornerstone to decorate a transport trailer with a VisitKingsville message, launched in 2024.
Future Expansion Considered
Given the overwhelming success, Plumb said organizers are considering expanding the event to two days next year. “We took a year off just to regroup and to look at things, re-evaluate and do things right,” he reiterated, hinting at even bigger plans for 2027.
