Highland Games debut at Argyle Lake State Park

The inaugural Forgottonia Fling brings traditional Scottish Highland Games, family activities, and regional attractions to Argyle Lake State Park in Colchester, Illinois, on Sept. 4-5, 2026. The free, family-friendly event is designed to draw visitors to west-central Illinois and encourage a full weekend trip.

Why it matters: - The inaugural Forgottonia Fling adds a new draw to west-central Illinois with free, family-friendly Highland Games competition. - The event gives visitors a reason to spend a full weekend at Argyle Lake State Park and nearby Macomb. - The lineup combines athletic competition, outdoor recreation, and local tourism attractions in one trip.

What happened: - Ancient Athletics will host the Forgottonia Fling Highland Games at Argyle Lake State Park in Colchester, Illinois, on Sept. 4-5, 2026. - The event brings traditional Highland Games competition to the region, with athletes from across the Midwest competing in feats of strength, skill, and technique. - Friday, Sept. 4, includes a public demonstration from 1 to 7 p.m. - Saturday, Sept. 5, competition begins at 9:30 a.m. - The event is free to watch and family friendly.

The details: - Ancient Athletics is partnering with the St. Andrew’s Society of Central Illinois to promote Celtic culture through athletic competition. - Ancient Athletics hosts about eight events across Central Illinois each year, including full Highland Games and spectator demonstrations. - Athletes will compete in nine traditional events: caber toss, Braemar stone, open stone, light weight for distance, heavy weight for distance, light hammer, heavy hammer, weight over bar, and sheaf toss. - The caber toss uses a tapered log that athletes try to flip end-over-end to land at 12 o’clock. - The Braemar stone is a standing stone put with no approach allowed. - The open stone allows either a glide or rotational technique. - The light and heavy weight for distance events are one-handed throws that test speed, timing, strength, and control. - The light and heavy hammer events use fixed feet and rely on rhythm, balance, and acceleration. - Weight over bar requires athletes to clear progressively higher bars. - The sheaf toss uses a weighted burlap bag launched over a crossbar with a pitchfork. - Men’s cabers can be more than 20 feet long and weigh well over 100 pounds. - Saturday’s event lineup also includes an antique gas engine and tractor show, a tractor parade, corn shelling and threshing demonstrations, working steam and gas engines, flea market vendors, kids’ games and activities, and breakfast and food vendors. - Visitors can also use the trip to explore Argyle Lake State Park’s trails, lake, and outdoor recreation. - Macomb is a short drive from the park and offers additional attractions. - Macombopoly turns Macomb’s historic downtown square into a 170,000-square-foot Monopoly experience tied to Macomb native and Monopoly inventor Lizzie Magie. - Macombopoly is free and open 24/7, and an app guides players through sculptures, interactive challenges, trivia, and prizes. - Visitors can also see the Living Lincoln Topiary Monument, a 16-foot-tall 3D-printed bust of Abraham Lincoln with real flowering whiskers, as part of Macomb’s Looking for Lincoln experience.

Between the lines: - The event is built as more than a sports competition, with tourism, heritage programming, and local attractions tied together to widen its appeal. - The mix of Highland athletics, farm heritage, and interactive public events suggests an effort to reach both spectators and participants. - The Macombopoly tie-in broadens the weekend’s pitch beyond Argyle Lake and connects the event to the region’s broader identity story.

What's next: - Organizers are inviting strong-person participants to register for the tournament. - Visitors can learn more and plan a trip at visitforgottonia.com. - The event is set to return to Argyle Lake State Park on Sept. 4-5, 2026.