Helena Valley Highland Gathering 2027

About Helena Valley Highland Gathering

The Helena Valley Highland Gathering is a one-day Celtic heritage festival run by the Helena Highlanders Association, a nonprofit formed in January 2023. The first gathering that July drew about 900 people, put together in roughly seven months. It has run every July since at the East Helena Rodeo Arena on Highway 282. The day centers on Scottish heavy athletics, caber toss, sheaf toss, hammer throw, weight over the bar and weight for distance, alongside pipe bands, Irish dancers, clan tents and vendors.

The 2026 gathering is Saturday, July 18, with gates open from 8:30am to about 7:00pm. General admission is free; a separate Mead tasting session is offered as an add-on. Food and merchandise vendors set up on-site, and both first-time and experienced heavy-athletics competitors take part in the day's events. The 2027 gathering is already scheduled for Saturday, July 17.

What happens

• Scottish heavy athletics: caber toss, sheaf toss, hammer throw, weight over bar, weight for distance
• Pipe bands and Irish dancing performances
• Clan tents representing Scottish, Irish and other Celtic heritage groups
• A ticketed Mead tasting session
• Food trucks and Celtic-themed vendors

Tips

• Admission is free, but the Mead tasting is a separate paid add-on if you want it
• Gates open at 8:30am and the grounds are outdoors at a rodeo arena with limited shade, bring sun protection
• The event runs a full day, roughly 8:30am to 7:00pm, so plan for both morning and evening activities
• It's in East Helena, a short drive from downtown Helena, not in Helena proper