Culture, Sport, and Strategy: What the Highland Games Teach Us About Regional Growth
For nearly two decades, the Greater Moncton Highland Games & Scottish Festival have quietly grown into one of Eastern Canada’s most significant cultural events. Now entering their 19th year, they offer more than just tradition — they provide a real-time case study in how cultural programming, sport, and tourism can intersect to deliver sustainable, measurable regional benefits.
A Full-Scope Highland Experience
Moncton is one of only four cities east of Ontario — along with Fredericton, Pugwash, and Antigonish — to host the full suite of Highland competitions: heavy athletics, piping and drumming, and Highland dance. These aren’t token offerings. They are sanctioned competitions that attract professional athletes, judges, and fans from across Canada and the United States. With the unfortunate cancellation of the 2025 Montreal Highland Games, Moncton’s position as a flagship event in the national calendar only strengthens.
Measurable Economic Growth
The 2025 edition is projected to draw more than 400 competitors and 2,000 spectators, with more than 30% coming from outside the region. This translates into an anticipated economic impact exceeding $1 million, with a proven trajectory of year-over-year growth — up from an estimated $670,000 in regional benefit in 2023. The Games drive revenue through room bookings, vendor partnerships, food services, and other local expenditures like security and first aid. Importantly, this is not a one-off spike — its cumulative impact built on 19 years of local business relationships.
Vendors like Peak Rentals and Production X Atlantique are longstanding partners whose businesses have grown in tandem with the Games. First-time needs are filled through regional sourcing and quotes, keeping procurement as local as possible. These relationships are strategic, not incidental.
Strategic Cultural Investment
The heavy events alone have taken a decade to build to national standards. Moncton is already the first to host all the women’s national heavy events and is one championship away — the Men’s Open — from completing the full CSAF slate. In 2022, the Games hosted an international event bringing over 100 athletes from seven different countries, using the occasion to invest in new equipment and infrastructure, further professionalizing the Games and building inventory for the future.
Cultural events are not soft investments. They create real, lasting opportunities for local merchants, performers, and service providers. More importantly, they retain talent — especially from demographics who travel to participate in or spectate at such events. For many, the Games offer a powerful connection to heritage, identity, and community.
Free Access, Greater Reach
Thanks to a strategic partnership with the City of Moncton’s Events department, general admission to the 2025 festival will be free. This eliminates financial barriers for local families and enhances the event’s reach. Increased accessibility is expected to drive vendor sales and boost overall attendance.
The Games also operate with an outreach mindset. Promotion appears in global publications such as Celtic Life and The Scottish Banner, alongside local ads, radio, and grassroots outreach at the Moncton Market, MAGMA’s Community Compass, and local schools including Bernice MacNaughton High School. The marketing approach balances consistency — built over 19 years — with active efforts to grow new audiences.
The festival spans a full week, while the main competitions are hosted in a single day. Family-friendly programming includes weaving, blacksmithing, archery, and a petting zoo, drawing in those who may not be Highland athletes but are curious and eager to engage with the culture.
Looking Ahead
The 2026 Games will mark the 20th anniversary — a celebration of both legacy and momentum. Moncton is under consideration to host the 2026 Men’s CSAF Championships, which would make it the first Games in Canada to host all CSAF titles. The city has also been approached by Scottish Masters Athletics International to consider hosting the Masters World Championships — potentially as early as 2027.
These are more than milestones. They’re the result of long-term work to elevate Moncton’s profile as a cultural and athletic hub for Scottish heritage in North America. The Games function as a gateway to the Maritimes, encouraging travellers to explore Antigonish and other festivals across the East Coast.
The Bigger Picture
When organizations think about economic development, cultural events like the Highland Games must be part of the strategy. They help cities differentiate themselves, build year-round tourism economies, and create community connection. We’ve seen what happens when opportunities dry up — people leave. But when we invest in meaningful, rooted, and evolving experiences, we retain people. We grow our economies.
The Highland Games are proof of that. Now it is a matter of continuing to scale — with the right support.