LINVILLE, N.C. — One of North Carolina’s most popular annual festivals returns to the High Country this week as the 70th Grandfather Mountain Highland Games get underway Thursday and continue through Sunday at MacRae Meadows.

According to our news partner, WACB, this year’s event celebrates seven decades of Scottish heritage and culture, bringing thousands of visitors from across the United States and around the world to Avery County.

The four-day festival will feature traditional Scottish heavy athletics, including the caber toss, hammer throw, sheaf toss, Highland wrestling, track and field competitions and piping and harp contests.

Visitors can also enjoy Scottish music, Highland dancing, the Parade of Tartans, sheepdog herding demonstrations, Celtic entertainment and authentic Scottish cuisine. New this year, sheep shearing will be offered for the first time in the history of the games.

The opening Torch Light Ceremony will be held Thursday evening, featuring the traditional “Raising of the Clans.” This year, 108 clans and 14 Scottish cultural and educational societies will be represented.

Musical performances throughout the weekend include Seven Nations and the Seán Heely Band, while the Scottish Cultural Village Tent will offer presentations on Scottish history, whisky, the Hebrides, Outlander costumes and more.

The games conclude Sunday with athletic competitions, the Clan Tug of War and closing ceremonies.