MacKinnon Watches at the San Diego Highland Games

Key Takeaways

• We attended the San Diego Scottish Highland Games, marking the event's 50th anniversary since its founding as a non-profit organisation in 1974

• The Games bring together athletics, piping and drumming, Highland dancing, sheepdog trials, and dozens of clan societies in one place

• Tartan remains the clearest visual marker of Scottish identity at events like this one, which is why we build our watch straps around it

• Events like the San Diego Highland Games matter for keeping heritage alive across the Scottish diaspora in the US

• We source every tartan from Scottish mills, so the pattern on your wrist has a real, traceable link back to Scotland

Why We Went

We didn't just show up to sell watches. We went because this is our world too.

San Diego hosts one of the longest running Highland Games gatherings on the West Coast, and this year marked its 50th anniversary. That's five decades of pipe bands, caber tosses, and families finding their clan tent. Not many community events last that long, and we wanted to be part of it.

For a brand built on Scottish tartan and heritage, a milestone like this isn't something we could skip. We packed up a table, brought a good range of our Custom Tartan Watch designs, and spent the weekend talking to people who share the same connection to Scotland that shapes everything we make.

What the Games Actually Involve

If you've never been to a Highland Games before, here's the short version: it's part sporting competition, part cultural festival, part family reunion for people whose surnames end in "son" or start with "Mac." 

The San Diego Scottish Highland Games has been running since it was incorporated as an educational non-profit in October 1974. Over its history, the event has had ten different Chieftains and has been held at eight locations around the San Diego area. In 1984, the organisers held their first two-day Games at Balboa Stadium, a location chosen specifically to accommodate the United States InterRegional Highland Dance Championships.

The weekend itself covers a lot of ground. Athletics events like the caber toss and hammer throw draw serious competitors. Pipe bands and solo pipers compete throughout the day. Highland dancers, some as young as five or six, perform in full regalia. There are sheepdog trials, a shortbread competition, whisky tasting, and dozens of clan and heritage organisations set up in booths, ready to help you trace your family name back to a specific glen or island.

It's loud, colourful, and honestly a bit overwhelming in the best way.

The Clan Tents Told Their Own Story

Here's what struck us most. Walk through the clan tent area and you'll see MacDonalds next to Frasers next to Camerons, each with their own tartan on display and their own volunteers ready to talk history. Some people at these tents can trace their line back six or seven generations. Others just discovered their surname has a clan association last year and came to learn more.

Sound familiar? It's the same reason people come to us. They're not just buying a watch strap. They're buying a way to carry a name, a tartan, or a family story with them every day.

We spoke with dozens of visitors who wanted to know whether their family tartan was something we could source. In most cases, the answer was yes. Between the tartans already available through the Custom Tartan Watch, and our access to thousands more through the mills we work with, most clan and district tartans are within reach.

Why Tartan Authenticity Actually Matters

Tartan isn't just a pattern. It's a regulated, documented part of Scottish cultural heritage, and there's an actual government body behind it.

The Scottish Register of Tartans, maintained by the National Records of Scotland, exists specifically to record and preserve tartan designs, including their exact thread counts and historical origins. That's not a small thing. It means a clan tartan isn't just "a plaid that looks nice." It has a documented identity, sometimes going back centuries, sometimes registered more recently to represent a modern organisation or region.

When we source tartan for our watches, it comes directly from Scottish mills that have woven these patterns for generations. We don't design generic plaid and call it tartan. Every strap ties back to a real, sourced design, the same way the tartans on display in San Diego's clan tents tie back to specific families and regions.

This is part of why we built our Tartan Finder, so people can search for their family name and see which tartan matches before they order.

The Diaspora Connection Runs Deeper Than You'd Think

Events like the San Diego Highland Games aren't a niche curiosity. They reflect something much bigger.

More than 5 million Americans currently claim Scottish ancestry, according to Scotland's official government tourism and diaspora site. And that's likely an undercount, since ancestry self-reporting tends to miss a lot of people with mixed or distant Scottish roots.

That's a lot of people looking for a way to stay connected to a country many have never lived in, and some have never even visited. Highland Games events give them that connection once a year. A tartan watch strap gives them that connection every single day.

We talked to a woman at the Games whose grandmother emigrated from Skye in the 1950s. She'd never been to Scotland herself. But she knew her clan tartan, she wore it proudly on a sash that day, and she asked us afterward whether we could put that same pattern on a watch for her son's graduation. That's the whole point of what we do, really.

What We're Taking Away From This

Fifty years is a long time for any community event to survive, let alone thrive. The organisers, volunteers, and competitors who've kept the San Diego Highland Games going since 1974 have built something genuinely special.

We left San Diego with a fuller order book, sure. But we also left with a stronger reminder of why we started MacKinnon Watches in the first place. It's not really about watches. It's about giving people a physical, everyday way to hold onto where they come from.

We'll be watching for next year's dates, and we'd encourage anyone in Southern California with even a drop of Scottish blood to go check it out for themselves.

Ready to Wear Your Own Clan Tartan?

If the Games left you wanting your own connection to Scotland, whether that's your family tartan, your clan colours, or simply a design you love, we'd be glad to help you find it. Get in touch with our team and tell us about the tartan you're after.

Contact us and we'll help you track down the right pattern for your Custom Tartan Watch.

How do I find out what my family tartan is?

Start with your surname. Many Scottish clans and districts have registered tartans tied to specific family names, which you can search through our Tartan Finder or the official Scottish Register of Tartans. If your name doesn't have an obvious match, clan societies (including those at events like the San Diego Highland Games) can often help trace it.

What is a Highland Games event, exactly?

A Highland Games is a Scottish cultural festival that combines athletic competitions (like the caber toss and hammer throw) with Highland dancing, bagpiping and drumming competitions, and cultural exhibits from clan societies and heritage organisations. Games are held throughout the year across the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.

Is the tartan on MacKinnon watch straps real Scottish tartan?

Yes. Our tartan is sourced directly from Scottish mills, and we work with over 1,000 authentic tartan designs, with access to thousands more on request.

Can I get my own clan tartan on a custom watch?

In most cases, yes. If your clan or family tartan isn't listed on our site, you can select any tartan at checkout and leave your requested tartan as an order note, and we'll confirm availability with you directly.

Why do so many Americans attend Highland Games events?

Millions of Americans claim Scottish ancestry, and Highland Games events give them a way to connect with that heritage through music, competition, clan history, and community. For many attendees, it's one of the only times each year they engage directly with Scottish culture.

How long has the San Diego Highland Games been running?

The event was incorporated as a non-profit organisation in October 1974, making it more than 50 years old. It has been held at eight different locations around San Diego over that time.

Do I need Scottish ancestry to attend a Highland Games or wear tartan?

Not at all. While many attendees are celebrating specific clan or family connections, Highland Games events and tartan more broadly are open to anyone with an interest in Scottish culture and history.