The Caledonian Society of Arizona

Welcome to The Caledonian Society of Arizona web site. Since 1964, Celtic associations state-wide have come together to celebrate Scottish culture and particularly to present Scottish Highland Games. Back then, it was a huge networking group without Internet, emails or faxing! In 1978 these various Celtic associations united to form The Caledonian Society of Arizona, a non-profit organization and in the early 90’s we received our 501(c)3 tax-exempt status with the IRS.

Over the years our organization has grown, and we are so proud to say that our Society still has many of the same members who were present from the beginning who serve on the Board and various committees. You can imagine the history we have together and the great stories we share with one another and the community.

One of our biggest events each year is the Arizona Scottish Gathering & Highland Games. Earlier Games didn't really have the attendance or complexity that the Games have today. The event began as a picnic in the park ~ and a wonderful opportunity to come together, share some food, drink & cheer on local Highland athletes and dancers.

The Society also honors Scotland's poet - Robert Burns - with an annual Burns Supper - usually in late January. This formal event is a true celebration of Scottish culture. Monthly meetings feature educational and entertainment programs, and we often provide sponsorships for Scottish activities such as Dance or Drums/Piping.

Over the past 49 years our Scottish Gathering & Highland Games has become one of the second or third largest in the Pacific southwest. We draw athletes, judges, and dancers from all over the country and Canada. We draw thousands of people throughout the weekend, and offer the most comprehensive genealogy research "department" than any other organization. The Games is our biggest fundraiser of the year and with the money we make it's our mission to educate the public about Scottish culture. We provide pipers for funerals, participate in municipal events such as the Metro Light Rail Grand Opening, are involved in an array of community events and have provided dance scholarships to young Highland dancers traveling the country and abroad to compete. We have brought a high school fiddle orchestra from Scotland to perform at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts. We hosted them and gave them a little taste of the desert! The Society wishes to carry on the age-old traditions of Celtic culture and have been consistent and steadfast in our Arizona efforts since 1964.

The 49th Annual Arizona Scottish Gathering & Highland Games is a 2-day celebration of Scottish culture featuring music, dance, genealogy research, athletic competitions, pipe bands & food. Grants provide academic scholarships to local academy students and Arizona Highland athletes. For more information on the 2013 Games, click here or use the "Highland Games" menu above.