The Capital District Scottish Games is the premier Scottish festival in the area. These games are hosted by the Schenectady Pipe Band on the Saturday before Labor Day, and feature live music, vendors, food, beer, Scottish clan societies, kids activities, and competitions in piping, dancing, dog shows, and of course, heavy athletics! For more information about the games, visit https://scotgames.com/

The Empire Throwing Club supports the highland athletics at the CDSG with equipment, promotion, field volunteers, and athlete registration. 

Registration Details:

In years past, this was a two-day festival with throwing on Saturday and Sunday, allowing for more competitors. Now the festival is only one day, so space on the field is limited. The Empire Throwing Club has worked hard with the athletic director to maximize the number of spots available and to create a fair application system. Anyone with prior highland games competition experience is welcome to apply, but spots are awarded first to throwers with the highest NASGA rank in their class for the prior year's season. The details are explained further in the registration form. We will continue to work hard to expand access to these and other games.

Training Day was our first ever event. This full-day clinic is geared toward first-timers, but is a great way for anybody to come practice their skills and learn more from some experienced throwers. It is simply the best way for a beginner to break into the games here in the Capital region. This club was founded to help new people discover the sport, and training day will continue to be an annual tradition. 

The day kicks off at 9:00 with info sessions covering the six main highland games events; stone put, weight for distance, hammer throw, caber toss, sheaf toss, and weight over bar. After lunch we run a mock competition so you can get some numbers for your throws and learn how a competition is run. Throughout the day you will pick up everything you need to know, from where to access training resources, how to find competitions, where to get gear, and more. The best part... it's just $10 per person. We're not out to make money, just to show you why we love the games!

The 2nd annual training day was a big hit and we are looking forward to Training Day 2024!

Argyle, NY, one of many towns in the area with deep Scottish roots, celebrates their heritage each year with the Thistle Day festival! This gathering features live music, beer, food, vendors, fireworks, and throwing events by the Empire Throwing Club!

Join us on Saturday 9/28/24 for the fourth annual Thistle Day! What started as unofficial walk-up-and-try-it highland games events has now become an official, scored highland games. This competition is open to beginners and experts alike, and is now open to junior athletes age 14-17 as well. If you are over the age of 14 and have a kilt, fill out the registration form and you're in! Spectators are welcome. See registration form for more details.

Check out the facebook event page for more info about this year's Thistle Day celebration. 

Another local event that popped up on the map in 2023 is the Broadalbin Gathering & Games, hosted by the Great Sacandaga Brewing Company in Broadalbin, NY. As the town's namesake suggests, it was founded by a Scottish family, and to celebrate that heritage the brewery launched this gathering.

The 2024 Gathering will take place Saturday 5/25 at the Great Sacandaga Brewing Company. Throwing events will run all day starting at 9am, but most of the action will kick off at noon.

Of course you can count on great beer and food, but also Scottish themed vendors, dancers, and you guessed it... heavy athletics by the Empire Throwing Club. This year the gathering will host an official highland games competition followed by some less-traditional keg tossing! Participants can sign up for the keg toss for distance and keg toss for height, or test their strength with the heavy overhead keg press. We will also be holding a tug of war competition for the kids around lunch time! Don't miss out!

We plan to keep this competition growing year after year. Participation in the highland games competition will be limited to pre-registered individuals only. Keep an eye out for the pre-registration form in the months leading up to the event.

The Long Island Celtic Festival is the downstate area's biggest and best showcase of Scottish culture. This year, Empire Throwing Club will be providing the heavy athletics entertainment! We have rallied some of the best throwers in the region to showcase their skills at the caber toss, sheaf toss, and stone put. Come see the spectacle that is professional-caliber Highland Games!

Feeling up to the task? This event also features walk-on crowd events so you can try the events for yourself, but be warned, its harder than it looks!

We look forward to bringing the ETC flare to this new venue with a lot of great history, and of course you can expect all the bands, food, and entertainment that you love at the highland games! More info here: https://www.oldwestburygardens.org/celtic-festival