Parker School of Dance

🍁🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Come Ceilidh with Us at the 2026 Festival of the Tartans! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🍁
The skirl of the pipes. The swirl of the kilts. The lively song box of the fiddle. The thrill of Highland athletics. The warmth of community. The joy of family fun.

Whether your roots are Scottish or you simply enjoy great music, culture, history, and hospitality, everyone is welcome to experience the 2026 Festival of the Tartans, August 13–16 in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.

Federation for Scottish Culture in Nova Scotia St. Andrews Society of Pictou County Town of New Glasgow Antigonish Highland Games Atlantic Canada Pipe Band Association Ship Hector Passenger Descendants Antigonish Highland Society Pictou County Highland Dance Association

Join us as we celebrate Scottish heritage with:
✨ Impressive Highland dancers
🎶 Stirring pipe bands and champion solo pipers
💪 Awe-inspiring Scottish Heavy Weight competitors
🎻 Outstanding Celtic musicians and vocalists
📖 Expert historians, language and heritage workshops
👑 Festival of the Tartans Skye Queen contestants—past and present
🏴 A colourful tapestry of tartans
🗣️ The beauty of the Gaelic language
🛍️ Quality vendors, clan tents, delicious food, children’s activities and so much more!

As the famous Tartan Army at the FIFA World Cup has shown the world, Scots—and Scots at heart—know how to have fun! Come be part of a weekend filled with music, laughter, tradition, and unforgettable memories.

📅Here are our Festival Highlights
🫖 Thursday, August 13
Tartan Tea (2:00–4:00 p.m.) – Free Admission
📍 Pictou County History Museum
Enjoy tea, sweets, beautiful gardens, and special guests including 2024 Grade 1 World Champion Piper Brady Webb and Mayor Nancy Dicks.
🎉 Friday, August 14
Opening Ceremonies, Procession of Tartans & Skye Queen Crowning (6:00–9:00 p.m.) – Free Admission (Donations Welcome)
📍 Scott W. Weeks Sports Complex (Rain Venue: North Nova Education Centre)

Featuring the Procession of Tartans, Clan Thompson Pipes and Drums, Parker School of Dance Highland dancers, live music, the presentation of the Festival Award of Distinction to Madeline Evans Langlois, and the Crowning of the 2026 Festival of the Tartans Skye Queen. (8:00pm)

🏴 Saturday, August 15
Highland Games Day (8:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.)
📍 Scott W. Weeks Sports Complex
Admission: $10 | Children 12 & Under Free
Enjoy:
• Highland Dance Competition
Primary, Beginner and Novice Begin at 8:30am ( pas de basques, Fling, Sword, Sean Tribubhas, Flora MacDonald’s Fancy)
Intermediate ( Fling, Sean Truibhas, Highland Laddie and Wilt Thou Go to Barracks Johnny) and Premier Begin at 12:30pm (Premier dances are Village Maid, Scottish Lilt, Blue Bonnets O’er the Border, Flora MacDonald’s Fancy, Solo Choregography)
• Scottish Heavy Weight Competitions (9:30 am start)

• A Gaelic Morning including Gaelic language workshops with Robyn Carrigan
9:00am-1:00pm - Gaelic through Fun
10:15am-10;45am-Children’s Gaelic Storytime with Dr. Michael Linkletter. Chair StFX Celtic Studies Department and Dr. Laurie Stanley Blackwell. Presented by Pictou Bee Press
Full Immersion Ceilidh: Gaelic Conversation and Song Circle with Robyn Carrigan
11:20am-12:00Noon- Milling Frolic

Registration for the Gaelic Workshops is $10 per session or all for $20. Email Lynn MacLean at [email protected]

Registration will also be accepted on the field but it is recommended to pre register. Other workshops in the afternoon are free.

• Heritage and Genealogy Workshops with respected local historians and speakers
1:30pm Susan Parker - "Finding Scots: Intro to Genealogy"
2:00pm Veronica MacIsaac - "History of Tartans"
2:30pm John Ashton- "Scottish Soldiers ( Regiments) and Families to Pictou County (American Revolution (1783-84)"
3:15pm James Lees and Rebecca Lees- "Historical Textiles"

• Kitchen Party Under the B**r Tent featuring Pat Spaulding (vocals and guitar) and Mel Harrigan ( fiddle)- stay tuned for one more performer to be announced soon - 1:00pm-5:00pm

Pipebands
• New Scotland Pipes and Drums - 4:30pm
RCMP Pipes and Drums & Highland Dancers - 2:00pm

• Vendors, clan tents, food, and a true Highland Games atmosphere

🎻 Saturday Evening – A Saturday Night Ceilidh
📍 Glasgow Square Theatre – for ages 19 years and over
An unforgettable evening featuring headliners Chrissy Crowley & Jason Roach, Mary Beth Carty, along with Amelia Parker, Heather Cameron, and Kenny Stewart.
Doors Open: 7:00 p.m. | Concert: 7:30 p.m.
Admission is $20 plus taxes and fees https://tprogst.ticketpro.ca/en/pages/1698308553

⛪ Sunday, August 16
Kirkin' O' the Tartans & Closing Service (11:00 a.m.)
📍 First Presbyterian Church, New Glasgow
Celebrate the blessing of the tartans with special guests including Mi'kmaq Elder Don Francis, Mayor Nancy Dicks, Gaelic vocalist Robyn Carrigan, piper Brady Webb, Gaelic Choir, and members of the St. Andrew's Society of Pictou County. Reception to follow.

📍 Festival venues include:
• Pictou County History Museum
• Scott W. Weeks Sports Complex
• Glasgow Square Theatre
• First Presbyterian Church, New Glasgow
Rain venue for outdoor events: North Nova Education Centre.
Bring your family, your friends, your tartan, and your Scottish spirit!
Whether you're coming for the music, the dancing, the history, the competitions, or simply the wonderful community atmosphere, there's something for everyone.

See you August 13–16 at the Festival of the Tartans! 🏴❤️

Registration is now open for highland dance lessons for the 2026-2027 season! ✨

Classes are held on Thursdays at Ashlei Ballet School in Stellarton, Nova Scotia.

📌 Register here: https://parkerschoolofdance.ca/classes-and-registration/

Parker School of Dance Highland dance for all abilities!

A little look back to June when our dancers had the opportunity to perform at the Ashlei Ballet School Recital! 🩷

Thank you to Janet for inviting us to be part of such a lovely show. Everything was so well organized and the team at the DeCoste Centre was wonderful. We had a fantastic time, and I am so proud of our dancers! 🌟

The Antigonish Highland Games were held this weekend and a few of our dancers competed in the highland dance competition! Thankfully the weather was absolutely perfect. Congratulations to Aria, Scarlett, Emily, and Evie! ❤️

Saturday

Novice 8
Scarlett - 3rd Fling, 2nd Sword, 2nd ST, 1st Lilt & 1st Runner Up Trophy 🏆

Novice 11
Aria - 4th ST & 3rd ST

Sunday

Beginner 8
Evie - 2nd Fling, 1st Sword, 4th ST, 2nd Lilt & 1st Runner Up Trophy 🏆

Beginner 10 & Over
Emily - 5th Fling & 5th ST

It’s been an absolutely wonderful week at the ScotDance Canada Championship Series in Moncton, NB! With over 900 dancers here, the energy and love for highland dance has been truly special. Scarlett and Aria danced on Monday and Wednesday, met new friends from across the country, and took home some gorgeous medals! Congratulations girls, so proud of you both ❤️

Monday
Novice 7 & Under 9
Scarlett Melong - 4th Fling

Novice 11 & Under 13
Aria Melong - 9th Sword and 7th Seann Triubhas

Wednesday
Novice 7 & Under 9
Scarlett Melong - 1st Half Hullachan, 4th Lilt, 5th Flora

Novice 11 & Under 13
Aria Melong - 6th Half Hullachan, 9th Lilt, 10th Flora

My dancers had a great Canada Day dancing at the 75th Pugwash Gathering of the Clans! 🇨🇦 I only managed to snap one picture of Evie eagerly waiting for the parade!

Evie placed 4th Sword and 2nd ST in Beginner 8 & Under, and Lana placed 4th Fling, 5th Sword, and 5th ST in Novice 9 & Under! Eden danced beautifully in her group as well, looking lovely with so many personal improvements 👏🏽 Well done, girls!