Free Public Event at Manchester Memorial High School

The New Hampshire Indoor Scottish Festival is returning to Manchester Memorial High School for a three-day celebration of Scottish culture, tradition, and competition from April 10 to April 12, 2026.

The event, which is free and open to the public, is organized by the local nonprofit Scottish Arts. It has grown to become one of the largest indoor Scottish festivals in North America, attracting performers and visitors from across New England and other regions.

Event Schedule and Activities

Festivities begin on the evening of April 10 with a professional piping competition featuring top bagpipers from the region.

The festival continues on Saturday, April 11, with activities running from 9:00 a.m. To 4:30 p.m. Throughout the day, more than 100 competitors will participate in solo piping, drumming, and fiddling events held across the school’s classrooms and stages. Highland dancers are also scheduled to perform throughout the day.

The event concludes on Sunday, April 12. In addition to the performances and competitions, the hallways of the high school will be filled with local and regional organizations and vendors offering various Scottish goods.

I remember thinking I wanted it to be this cute little festival, and year after year, it’s just blown up,

Lezlie Webster, director of Scottish Arts

Webster noted that the event’s growth has resulted in the organization taking over the entire school facility to accommodate the participants and visitors.

Visitor Information

The festival is located at Manchester Memorial High School, 1 Crusader Way, Manchester, New Hampshire. While admission to the event is free, food, drinks, and goods sold by vendors are priced.

For those attending the craft fair and other festivities, organizers have provided specific parking guidance to manage the crowds:

• Attendees are asked to park on the South Porter Street side of the school.
• Parking is available on the side streets on the South Porter Street side.
• Overflow parking is available at the Manchester School of Technology parking lot, located at the intersection of Porter and Weston Road.

The 2026 iteration marks the 23rd Scottish Arts Festival, continuing a tradition of showcasing the Scottish cultural scene in New England through live music, dance, and artisan commerce.