Tucson Celtic Festival and Highland Games – Saturday 10/24/2026
Trip Cost: Free (But be sure to register!)
Come Celebrate the Heritage and Culture of Ireland, Scotland and Wales just as it’s been done for centuries… with lots of great music, dancing, athletics and way too much fun, good food, & great friends. Enjoy the opening ceremony, parade of the bands and clans, musical performances throughout the day featuring a showcase of local Celtic bands, massed bagpipe bands, unique Celtic merchants and eateries, Scottish clans, heritage and cultural booths, Irish and Scottish dance and traditional Scottish highland games.
This is an outdoor event. Please dress appropriately and wear comfortable shoes. Bring your lunch or purchase food at the festival. Additional information can be found here.
We’ll meet at the Photography Club at 8:30 AM for carpooling, departing at 9:00 AM. Please wear your GVR Photography Club or Camera Club badge, if available. For those carpooling, $5.00 is an appropriate contribution to the driver.
We'll drive to Rillito Raceway Park, 4502 North First Avenue in Tucson, where parking is free. There, you will pay your own entrance fee at the event, which for seniors 65 and over is $27.49 at the gate (or $24.34 if you purchase online)
Patty Ferguson and Monica Parker will be the trip leaders. For questions call Patty at 520-647-1264 or email at . She will be disseminating more information to registered participants via e-mail as we get closer to the event. Please add your trip leader's email and phone number to your contact list so you don't miss out on any important updates.
GVR requires that every person participating in the club's field trips must sign a waiver absolving GVR of any liability. You will be required to sign the waiver at the Photography club before the trip departs if you haven't already done so.
If you need to cancel, please contact the Field Trip Co-Chair Lynn Rozema at 719-351-5193 or email lrozema51@gmail.com. We may have people on the wait list to take your place.
If you have to cancel on the day of the trip, please call Patty as soon as you know you cannot make the trip.
NOTICE:
All participants need to be responsible for an assessment of their mobility and health issues relating to field trips. Some trips may not be appropriate, but you must make that determination. However, the trip leader may deny participation in a specific field trip to anyone deemed not suitably prepared or able to walk with the group.
Be sure to have your GVR card with you for each and every field trip. Without it, you won't be allowed to go on the trip. No refunds will be granted for failure to comply with this requirement. To protect GVR and club member benefits, GVR has implemented a new process that requires each field trip participant to come into the club and scan his/her GVR card to confirm eligibility. We no longer have the option of typing in your name or GVR number – only the physical GVR card will do.
We will no longer meet in the parking lot. We will meet in the GVR Photography Club where you will scan your GVR card confirming your eligibility to go on the trip. We’ll also review important/late-breaking information, pair up drivers and riders, provide driving directions, and give participants a chance to visit the restrooms prior to departure. Again, be sure to have your GVR card with you.
In order to participate in this event, you must be a member of the GVR Photography Club and GVR.
The GVR Photography Club is located in the Recreation Village of Santa Rita Springs.