Schedule & Gallery
The 2026 Program · August 13–16, 2026
2026 Schedule of Events
Four days of Highland tradition.
Thursday, August 13
Tartan Tea (Free Admission)
Pictou County History Museum ( formerly Carmichael Stewart House Museum), 86 Temperance Street, New Glasgow
Join us for tea, sweets and good company in a lovely garden setting.
- Hosted by the Pictou County History Museum
- Special Guests Piper Brady Webb, 2024 Grade 1 World Champion, Amateur Solo Piper, New Glasgow Mayor Her Worship Nancy Dicks
Friday, August 14
Opening Ceremonies, Procession of Tartans, Outdoor Concert and Festival of the Tartans Skye Queen Pageant Crowning ( Free Admissions, Donations Welcomed)
Scott W. Weeks Sports Complex – Rain Venue North Nova Education Centre
- Official Declaration of the Opening of the Festival by New Glasgow Mayor Nancy Dicks and Chief Tamara Young, Pictou Landing First Nation
- Greetings by Dignitaries
- Procession of Tartans including Children’s Costume Parade- line up at 5:45 pm
- Performance by Clan Thompson Pipes and Drums performance- 6:00pm
- Remarks & Concert Entertainment begins- 6:30pm
- Concert features Melanie Pos (vocals), John Spyder MacDonald (vocals and guitar), Robyn Carrigan (Gaelic Vocalist), Parker School of Dance Highland Dancers
- Crowning of the FOT Skye Queen- begins at approximately 8:00pm with Special Cameo Performance by Localist Shaun McLean with accompanist Sylvia Morrison and Piper Keegan Reed
Saturday, August 15
2026 Festival of the Tartans Highland Dancing Form
Scott W. Weeks Sports Complex, Parkdale, New Glasgow – Rain Venue: North Nova Education Centre
📄 2026 Festival of the Tartans Highland Dancing Form — download the full dance program.
Festival of the Tartans Highland Dancing Competition – please note our 2026 Highland Dancing Competition is sold out.
We are so much looking forward to welcoming and see these talented Highland dancers and their families to our Festival!!
Judge
Carolyn Spears
Carolyn Spears is from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her family is from Pictou and direct descendants of the Ship Hector settlers who arrived in 1773 from Scotland. She is a Fellow and life member of the British Association of Teachers of Dancing (BATD), and is currently chairperson of BATD Maritimes. She has been a member of the Royal Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing since 1986. Carolyn began dancing at the age of six under the instruction of Marie Urquhart. She had a successful competitive career, and represented Nova Scotia at the Canadian Championships. From 1979-1985 she had the honour to perform with the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo. During the summer months, Carolyn attended the Gaelic College in St. Anns, Cape Breton, where J.L. MacKenzie taught each year. In 1986 she spent the summer in Scotland where she trained with Jessie Stewart Haggarty, with whom she is indebted to for giving her the skills of highland dance theory. To this day she looks back and uses that knowledge and the teaching techniques that she had learned during this time.
Carolyn is the President of Celtica Highland Dance Society and organizes a Highland competition that includes Choreography. She also she organizes the BATD Highland Festival. Carolyn is a member of ScotDance Nova Scotia and represents her province on the Board of Directors of ScotDance Canada. She was on the organizing committee for ScotDance Canada Championship Series (SDCCS), in Halifax in 2023 and was the Chair of the awards committee for the event. She is the Chair of the awards for SDCCS 2026 in Moncton.
Carolyn is the director of her own school of dance “Carolyn MacKenzie Spears School of Highland Dance” which began in 1982. Since that time, Carolyn has trained dancers from beginner to champion. Her dancers having had the opportunities of performing at various Military Tattoos in Nova Scotia, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Russia, and The United States. They have travelled to Cuba where they performed throughout Havana and have danced in the Tartan Day Parade in NY. Carolyn’s students have been successful over the years to bring home perpetual awards on numerous occasions from “The Sadie Simpson North American Scholarships”.
Carolyn is honoured to have been invited to judge The Festival of the Tartans and would like to wish all participants good luck and hope they have a very memorable experience. The Festival of the Tartans Committee thanks Carolyn for being an important part of the Highland Dancing Competition!
2026 Festival of the Tartans Highland Dancing
Scott W. Weeks Sports Complex, Parkdale, New Glasgow – Rain Venue: North Nova Education Centre
(Admission is $10 per person; Children 12 and Under Free)
- Highland Dance Competition: 8:00am-4:30pm
- Gaelic Workshops with Instructor Robyn Carrigan 9:00am-Noon
- Scottish Heavy Weight Competition: 9:30am
- Heritage Workshops led by Local Historians and Expert Speakers: (Susan Parker, John Ashton, Veronica MacIsaac, Dr. James Lees and Rebecca Lees) 1:30-4:00pm
- RCMP H Division Community Band and Highland Dance Troupe: 2:00pm-2:40pm
- Kitchen Party Under the Beer Tent: 1:00pm-5:00 pm, featuring Pat Spaulding (vocals and guitar); Mel Harrigan ( fiddle) ; John Pellerine (fiddle) and Mary Beth Carty (guitar, accordion and vocals) - Free Admission, Donations Welcomed
- New Scotland Pipes and Drums Performance: 4:30-5:00pm
A Gaelic Morning through a series of Gaelic Workshops
Scott W. Weeks Sports Complex
The Festival of the Tartans is proud to present A Gaelic Morning through a series of Gaelic Workshops on the morning of Saturday, August 15 at the Scott W. Weeks Sports Complex. Whether you are a fluent Gaelic speaker or just learning for the first time all are welcome!!
There are workshops for both children and adults with instructor Robyn. She is a fifth-generation Maritime Gael, culture bearer and professional, award winning vocalist and songwriter, who brings the language of the Gaels alive through her teachings and performances. Special guests will be Dr. Laurie Stanley Blackwell and Dr, Michael Linkletter who will read children’s stories in English and Gaelic. Thank you to the Pictou Bee Press for sponsoring the Children’s Storytime! To register for the Gaelic Workshops email: macmaple@eastlink.ca.
Workshops are $10 each or all four for $20. Children under 12 are free and must be accompanied by an adult.
Gaelic Workshop Bios:
Robyn Carrigan, Workshop Instructor
Robyn Carrigan is a fifth-generation Maritime Gael, culture bearer and professional, award winning vocalist and songwriter, who brings the language of the Gaels alive through her teachings and performances. Robyn lives on Unama'ki Island, Cape Breton. Raised in a home steeped in Gaelic she has over her lifetime attained a high level of fluency in Scottish Gaelic. As a singer/ songwriter she has performed with Juno and Grammy award winning artists and others in the Canadian folk music scene. Robyn has performed in Scotland, Ireland, India, North America and Japan. She regularly teaches Gaelic song and language workshops and performs in the Gaelic language. Recently she has participated in a major Gaelic Festival in British Columbia.
Whether she recites or delivers soaring vocals, Robyn mystically transforms her stage into another time and place. She is also a well respected travel guide sharing her knowledge of the Scottish history, traditions and culture of Cape Breton with tourists from across the globe.
Michael Linkletter, Children’s Reading Presenter
Michael Linkletter, is Chair of the Celtic Studies Department at St. Francis Xavier University and holds the Sister Saint Veronica Chair in Gaelic Studies. He is also the Graduate Studies Coordinator for the MA program in Celtic Studies. Michael holds a Master's and PhD in Celtic Languages and Literatures from Harvard University with a doctoral dissertation entitled “Bu Dual Dha Sin (That Was His Birthright): Gaelic Scholar Alexander Maclean Sinclair (1840-1924).” As an undergraduate Michael attended St. Francis Xavier University where he received degrees in Celtic Studies and history.
Dr. Laurie Stanley-Blackwell, Children’s Reading Presenter
Dr. Laurie Stanley-Blackwell is a distinguished scholar, historian, publisher and heritage advocate whose work has significantly shaped the study and preservation of Atlantic Canadian history. Over a career spanning decades in higher education, she has earned national respect for her research, teaching, and public engagement in the fields of Canadian, cultural, and regional history.
She is the author of books, articles, and websites relating to religious, social, medical, and material history. Stanley Blackwell is also the author of several very popular children’s books that tell stories related to Scottish heritage and has helped share the stories and customs of the Gaels with younger audiences. She now lives in Amherst along with her husband, John Blackwell, and they are co-publishers of Pictou Bee Press. John Blackwell is a retired university research administrator and academic librarian, with graduate training in Canadian and British history. Now a freelance writer and editor, he has contributed to The Globe and Mail, National Post, Ottawa Citizen, and Huffington Post, as well as a wide variety of academic publications.
Heritage & Genealogy Workshops
Scott W. Weeks Sports Complex
Join us for our Heritage & Genealogy Workshops on Saturday, August 15, led by local historians and expert speakers.
- 1:30 p.m. – Susan Parker – Finding Scots: An Introduction to Genealogy
- 2:00 p.m. – Veronica MacIsaac – The History of Tartan
- 2:30 p.m. – John Ashton – Scottish Soldiers to Pictou County 1783–1784
- 3:15 p.m. – Dr. James Lees & Rebecca Lees – Clothing the 18th Century Tar Maker
A Saturday Night Ceilidh, partnership event with the Downtown Market, New Glasgow
Glasgow Square Theatre Admission: $20 plus fee- see Glasgow Square website
Doors Open at 7:00pm Concert: 7:30pm
- Headliners : Jason Roach ( piano) & Chrissy Crowley ( traditional fiddle) and Mary Beth Carty (vocals, accordion, guitar, pocket sized instruments)
- Additional Special Entertainers: Amelia Parker (fiddle, vocals, stepdance) , Heather Cameron (fiddle), Kenny Stewart (guitar)
- Chrissy and Jason are both former members of the Cape Breton Supergroup Coig
Sunday, August 16
Kirkin’ ‘O The Tartans & Official Closing
First Presbyterian Church, New Glasgow Service
Led by Rev. Dr. Joon Ki Kim, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church
- Special Guests: Mi’kmaq Keptin Elder Don Francis, Her Worship Nancy Dicks, Mayor of New Glasgow; Gaelic Vocalist Robyn Carrigan, Piper Brady Webb, Members of the St. Andrew’s Society of Pictou County
- Music by Melong sisters Maelle, Aria and Scarlett
- Town Crier Jim Stewart will close the Festival with Mayor Nancy Dicks
- Reception to follow
Thank you to our Hometown Sponsor the Town of New Glasgow as well as to all of our generous business sponsors, community supporters and volunteers.
The Pipes, the Pipes Are Calling
The Festival of the Tartans is thrilled to welcome an outstanding lineup of pipe bands, pipers, drummers, and Highland dancers to this year’s expanded festival! Whether you’re a lifelong lover of Highland music or experiencing it for the first time, prepare to be inspired by the powerful sound, precision, and pageantry of some of Atlantic Canada’s finest performers.
Featured Pipe Bands
Clan Thompson Pipe Band
Antigonish
Founded in 1984, Clan Thompson has a proud tradition of excellence, including winning the North American Grade 3 Championship and Nova Scotia Pipe Band Association Champion Supreme honours. After reforming in 2006, the band has become a favourite throughout Northern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton, performing at parades, concerts, festivals, and community celebrations. We are especially proud that the band’s Pipe Major, Aaron Dunsiger, is a native of New Glasgow whose impressive piping career began with the 219 Army Cadets before leading the band today.
New Scotland Pipes & Drums
Enfield
Drawing members from communities across central and northern Nova Scotia, New Scotland Pipes & Drums is known for its energetic performances, community spirit, and commitment to preserving Scotland’s musical traditions. Whether entertaining audiences at concerts or leading parades, the band continues to grow while fostering the next generation of pipers and drummers in a welcoming atmosphere.
RCMP “H” Division Community Pipes, Drums & Highland Dance Troupe
Halifax
Made up of dedicated RCMP members and community volunteers, this exceptional ensemble proudly represents Highland music, dance, and tradition throughout Atlantic Canada and beyond. Fresh from a commemorative tour of Belgium and France — including performances and ceremonies at Vimy Ridge, Juno Beach, and Abbaye d’Ardenne — the troupe brings an inspiring blend of heritage, service, and Scottish pride to every performance.
Solo Performers
Brady Webb
A Grade 1 World title-winning piper whose remarkable international success has made him one of Canada’s outstanding young pipers. A former member of Clan Thompson Pipe Band, Brady will welcome guests with his music at the Tartan Tea on Thursday, August 13, and will also perform during the Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans Church Service on Sunday, August 16.
Keegan Reed
A gifted piper, drummer, and Drum Major whose talents have earned him a place in the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo. Keegan will be part of the Skye Queen Pageant Crowning during our Opening Ceremonies on Friday, August 14.
Registration & Forms
Everything you need to compete, exhibit or join in.
Highland Dancing Entry
Entry form & rules
Clan Registration
Reserve a clan tent — Email: macmaple@eastlink.ca
Vendor Registration
Food & craft vendors — Email macmaple@eastlink.ca
Photo Gallery
Scenes from Festivals past.
