The 2nd annual Shanghai Highland Games brings Scottish athletics, bagpipes, food & kids' activities to NAIS Pudong on Sep 12. Pre-sale adults RMB150, family packs from RMB350. No weekend surcharge.
Tags:- Shanghai Highland Games
- Scottish cultural event
- family-friendly activities
- traditional athletics
- early bird tickets
Click above to see video
After a fantastically fun first edition last year, the event will once again bring a taste of Scotland’s legendary traditions to town.
Supported by the Scottish Government Office in China, expect a vibrant day of traditional athletics, kilts, bagpipes, and community spirit at this iconic cultural celebration.
Click above to see video
Here's what you can look forward to on the day...
Opening Ceremony
The day will kick off in style with a pipe band Opening Ceremony, and an opening address by British Consul General Matt Burney.
Honorary Chieftain
Nick Watson
Nick Watson has been working in China for 40 years and is a longstanding member of Shanghai’s Scottish community.
In 1986, he signed a letter of intent to establish a 50/50 joint venture in Shanghai, which was formally approved in 1989 and, according to the British Consulate, became the first 50/50 registered joint venture company in Shanghai.
Through his company, Moore Watson Ltd, Nick has spent decades in the mineral processing industry, supplying equipment for major infrastructure projects including the Three Gorges Dam.
Now approaching his 86th birthday, he continues to live and work in Shanghai and was featured in the BBC Scotland documentary Scots in China.
The Shanghai Highland Games is delighted to welcome Nick as its Honorary Chieftain for 2026, recognizing his remarkable contribution to Scotland-China connections.
Events
Overseen by Adriana Sports, athletes will take on five classic challenges, up from four last year.
New! Sheaf Toss
Using a pitchfork, competitors hurl a heavy burlap bag of straw straight up and over a raised horizontal bar, aiming for height rather than distance.
The bar is raised higher and higher until only the strongest arms remain.
Caber Toss
The goal here is not distance but accuracy: competitors flip a large, tree trunk of a pole (the caber) end-over-end so it lands in a straight line from the thrower.
Tyre Flip
This test of strength and stamina involves lifting and flipping a massive tractor tyre end-over-end repeatedly, going as far as they can in a set time.
Weights for Distance
Athletes throw a heavy weight attached to a handle with one hand, using momentum to swing it forward and release it for maximum distance.
Hammer Throw
Competitors spin to build momentum, before releasing a heavy ball attached to a long handle, aiming to launch the 'hammer' as far as they can.
Bagpipe Competition
There will be a Bagpiping Competition, showcasing musical talent from across the country, endorsed by the National Piping Centre of Scotland itself!
Listen to the finest pipers compete in The CLASP and NPC Junior Championships, proudly supporting the China Bagpipe Association.
Kids Highland Games
It’s not just for the grown-ups. There’ll also be a Kids' Highland Games and other activities—this is a fun day out for the whole family.
Ceilidh Band
The Tipsy Fiddler Ceilidh Band will be performing for most of the afternoon, and will be inviting everybody to join them for a Traditional Scottish Dance!
Food & Drink
It wouldn’t be a proper Highland gathering without a bit o' feastin', and feastin' there will be!
Fou Bar 福吧
A perfect marriage of Scottish spirit and Chinese meaning, Shanghai Highland Games Fou Bar 福吧 takes its name from the Scots word fou (meaning drunk or full) and the Chinese character 福 (happiness and blessing).
Run in partnership with Chuar Bar, it's the heart of the festivities—where competitors refuel, spectators toast, and everyone raises a glass to good fortune, good company, and a good dram.
Haggis, Neeps & Tatties
Breakfast Champion dishes up hearty classics including Haggis, Neeps & Tatties.
Scotland's national dish, this hearty plate brings together peppery, crumbly sheep's offal pudding (haggis) with creamy mashed turnips (neeps) and buttery mashed potatoes (tatties).
Served steaming hot with a generous dollop of gravy, it's a rustic, soul-warming meal that turns humble ingredients into something legendary.
Black Pudding
A staple of the traditional Scottish breakfast, this savoury blood sausage is made from pork blood, fat, and oatmeal, packed into a casing and sliced thick.
It's fried until crisp on the outside and tender within, delivering a rich, earthy flavour that divides opinion (some people are just wee wimps) but defines a nation's plate.
Haggis Dumplings
We will also have Haggis Dumplings from Eat Dumplings: a Chinese-made, bite-sized taste of Scotland.
They will also be selling regular dumplings for the less adventerous.
Haggis Pizza
Homeslice will be serving up Scottish-inspired treats like Haggis Pizza. A bold fusion of Italian-American tradition and Scottish soul, this pie swaps classic pepperoni for mini meatballs of peppery haggis
Irn-Bru
Homeslice will also be giving away shots of Irn-Bru with every slice of Haggis Pizza.
Irn-Bru is a classic, bright orange soft drink, and a source of national pride due to being “Made in Scotland from Girders.”
100% true story.
Deep-Fried Mars Bars
Completing the Caledonian consumption is, of course, the Deep-Fried Mars Bar.
IMPORTANT: While deep-fried Mars Bars have been much maligned and derided, we can absolutely, 100% guarantee that it is only by people who have never tried one.
Just look at that picture above—this is a God-tier culinary innovation.
Tickets
The second annual Shanghai Highland Games will take place at NAIS Pudong from 11am on Saturday, September 12, with events running from 1pm to 5.30pm.
Tickets are priced as follows:
Adult: Pre-sale RMB150 | Door RMB180
Child: Pre-sale RMB100 | Door RMB125
Family of 3 (2 Adults + 1 Child): Pre-sale RMB350 | Door RMB425
Family of 4 (2 Adults + 2 Children): Pre-sale RMB400 | Door RMB500
Click below to get your tickets now:
Sat Sep 12, 11am-5.30pm; RMB100-500
NAIS Pudong, 2888 Junmin Gong Lu, by Henghe Zhong Lu, Pudong District 军民公路2888号, 近恒和中路
Highland Games History
The Highland Games are a centuries-old tradition, believed to date back to the 11th century when King Malcolm III of Scotland gathered clans in the Highlands to find the strongest and most skilled men for his court.
Over the centuries, the Games evolved to celebrate not only athleticism but also music, dance, and Scottish identity.
Famously described as Queen Elizabeth II’s favorite sporting event after equestrianism, the Braemar Highland Games have been attended by the reigning monarch since 1848, making them one of the longest-standing royal traditions in Scotland.
Today, Highland Games are celebrated worldwide—bringing together Scots and local communities in a shared celebration of strength, heritage, and cultural pride.
Want to Get Involved?
The Shanghai Highland Games are looking for sponsors, vendors, participants, and volunteers. If you're interested, please scan the relevant QR code below:
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