Highland Games in Scotland
Scotland is renowned for its Highland Games and Gatherings which are some of the most popular events on the summer calendar for tourists and locals alike. The season stretches from May to September up and down the country. Here's our list of Highland Games for 2020. If you're interested, you can also read our blog about the history of Highland Games.
Annual agricultural shows and country shows are another occasion for the local community to gather and celebrate their successes so we've included them on this page. You can also see more 2020 event listings on our web site.
Please be advised that due to the current Covid-19 situation, Highland Games across Scotland were cancelled for 2020. We don't yet know whether any Games will be able to go ahead in 2021. Please check with individual event organisers.
May 2020
Gourock Highland Games
10 May 2020, Inverclyde
Gordon Castle Highland Games and Country Fair
17 May 2020 near Fochabers in Moray
Events all weekend. Vintage Village, music, local food producers, unique crafts and gifts, gun dogs, terrier racing, falconry displays, rare breeds, Clydesdale horses, and racing pigs.
Highland Gathering and Atholl Highlanders' Parade
23 - 24 May 2020 at Blair Castle, Perthshire
Fife Show
23 May 2020, Kinloss House near Cupar
A great day out for all the family with events including pedigree cattle, sheep, poultry, wild fowl, heavy horse breeds, show jumping, game fair. Demonstrations of falconry, ferret racing, gun dogs and angling. Pet show, countryside tent with fun activities. Cookery theatre with demonstrations. Food and Drink marquee by Fife's speciality producers.
Blackford Highland Games
30 May 2020
Near Gleneagles and Auchterarder in Perthshire
Drymen Agricultural Show
30 May 2020, Drymen, Loch Lomond
West Lothian Highland Games
tbc late May 2020
June 2020
Helensburgh & Lomond Highland Games
6 June 2020
Angus Show
6 June 2020 at Brechin.
Annual agricultural show with live stock, fun fair, trade stands, craft marquee, horse and hound, tractor pulling, dancing displays, pipe bands and lots more.
Ardrossan Highland Games
14 June 2020, North Ayrshire
Aberdeen Highland Games
21 June 2020
Cupar Highland Games
21 June 2020, Fife
Royal Highland Show
18 - 21 June 2020 at Ingliston, Edinburgh.
Annual agricultural show with arena attractions, Scottish food exhibition, pedigree livestock, flower show, show jumping, craft fair and much more.
Drumtochty Highland Games
27 June 2020 at Drumtochty Castle, Auchenblae, Aberdeenshire
Ceres Highland Games
27 June 2020, Ceres village, Cupar, Kingdom of Fife
The oldest free games in Scotland, always held on the last Saturday of the month of June.
July 2020
Kenmore Highland Games, Perthshire
1 July 2020
The Scottish Game Fair
3 - 5 July 2020
Set in the grounds of Scone Palace (Perthshire) with displays, stands, demonstrations. Organised by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust.
Gairloch Highland Gathering
4 July 2020, Wester Ross
Luss Highland Gathering
4 July 2020, Loch Lomond
Glengarry Highland Games
tbc 4 July 2020, Invergarry, Loch Ness
Thornton Highland Games
4 July 2020, Thornton, Kirkcaldy, Fife
Doune and Dunblane Show
7 July 2018
Annual agricultural show in Perthshire
Forres Highland Games
4 July 2020, Moray
The Famous Alva Games
11 July 2020
Traditional Highland games near Stirling
Tain Highland Gathering
11 July 2020, north Highlands
Jedburgh Border Games
tbc 11 July 2020
Braemar Junior Highland Games
tbc 11 July 2020
Enabling children from 5 to 18 to participate in games events normally reserved for adults. Family Ceilidh in the Village Hall in the evening.
St Ronan's Border Games
11 - 18 July 2020, Innerleithen, Scottish Borders
St Ronan's Border Games and Cleikum Ceremonies week.
Inverness Highland Games
18 July 2020 CANCELLED
Annual Highland Games in the Highland capital.
Kirriemuir Agricultural Show
18 July 2020, Kirriemuir, Angus
Lochcarron Highland Games
18 July 2020, Wester Ross
Tomintoul Highland Games
18 July 2020, Tomintoul, Moray
Loch Lomond Highland Games
18 July 2020 at Balloch, Loch Lomond
Taynuilt Highland Games
18 July 2020, Taynuilt (11 miles from Oban)
Kirkcudbright Country Fair
18 - 19 July 2020, Dumfries & Galloway
Spectacular programme of events with guest performers and display teams at one of the region's major annual events.
Rosneath Peninsula Highland Gathering
19 July 2020, near Faslane, Argyll
Burntisland Highland Gathering
20 July 2020, Burntisland, Fife
Inveraray Highland Games
21 July 2020, Inveraray Castle, Argyll
Stonehaven Highland Games
19 July 2020, Aberdeenshire
Isle of Mull Highland Games
23 July 2020, Tobermory
Durness Highland Games
24 July 2020, Sutherland, north-west Highlands
Border Union Show
24 - 25 July 2020, Kelso
Annual agricultural show and equestrian event in the Borders
Sutherland County Show
25 July 2020, Dornoch, Scottish Highlands
Balquhidder, Lochearnhead & Strathyre Highland Games
25 July 2020, Lochearnhead, Perthshire
Airth Highland Games
25 July 2020, near Falkirk
Dufftown Highland Games
25 July 2020, Speyside
Halkirk Highland Games
25 July 2020, Caithness
St Andrews Highland Games
26 July 2020
Arisaig Highland Games and Clan Ranald Gathering
29 July 2020, West Highlands
Stranraer Show
29 July 2020
Annual agricultural show.
Clan Cameron Gathering
30 July - 2 August 2020, Achnaharry, West Highlands
International Gathering of Clan Cameron at Achnacarry near Spean Bridge, hosted by clan chief Donald Cameron of Lochiel.
August 2020
Perth Show
31 July - 1 August 2020
A great day out in Perth for all the family including the Grand Parade of Livestock, local artisan crafts, Perthshire on a Plate with celebrity and local chefs, entertainment, trade stalls and much more.
Glamis Country Fair & Horse Trials
31 July - 2 August 2020
A new event first hosted at Glamis Castle in 2019.
Nairn Show
1 August 2020
Livestock exhibitions, craft fair, food stalls and amusements is held at Kinnudie Farm, Auldearn, near Nairn.
Skye Agricultural Show
1 August 2020, Portree
Dumfries & Lockerbie Show
1 August 2020
Annual agricultural show.
The Mey Games
1 August 2020
The Royal British Legion Mey Games take place near the Castle of Mey (former home to HM The Queen Mother) every August with the patronage of Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay
Newtonmore Highland Games
1 August 2020, Newtonmore, Cairngorms, Highlands
Aboyne Highland Games
1 August 2020, Aberdeenshire
Join with clansmen and women who will be heading to the north east from across the globe to the village green in the centre of Aboyne where the games have been held since 1867. The games have been noted worldwide for being a centre of excellence for the traditional disciplines of Highland Games. Not only is Aboyne recognised for this, but also as a gathering venue for a dozen clans indigenous to the North East of Scotland
Aberlour Strathspey Highland Games
1 August 2020, Strathspey
Bridge of Allan Highland Games
2 August 2020, near Stirling
Mallaig & Morar Highland Games
2 August 2020, West Highlands
The Scottish Alternative Games
tbc 4 August 2020, New Galloway, Dumfries and Galloway
The Lowland alternative to the more traditional Highland Games is a fun day out for all the family.
Killin Highland Games
5 August 2020, Perthshire
Wigtown Agricultural Show
5 August 2020, Bladnoch Park, Wigtown, Dumfries & Galloway
Isle of Skye Highland Games
5 August 2020, Portree, Isle of Skye
Black Isle Show
6 August 2020 near Muir of Ord, just north of Inverness.
This is the largest agricultural show in the North of Scotland. It attracts over 2,000 cattle, horse and sheep entries, more than 300 trade stands and over 25,000 visitors to the show each year. There is plenty to see and do, craft fair, food fair, 'On the Farm' exhibition for the kids, agricultural stands, vintage rally and sheep shearing.
Dornoch Highland Gathering
7 August 2020, Sutherland, north Highlands
Clan Mackenzie Gathering
7 - 14 August 2020, Strathpeffer, Ullapool and Hebrides
A range events from the clan seat at Castle Leod in Strathpeffer to the Outer Hebrides of Harris and Lewis.
Inverkeithing Highland Games
8 August 2020, Inverkeithing, Fife
Atholl & Breadalbane Agricultural Show and Highland Gathering
8 August 2020, Aberfeldy
Highland games and agricultural show with cattle, horse, sheep and pet show.
Brodick Highland Games
8 August 2020, Isle of Arran
North Berwick Highland Games
8 August 2020, East Lothian
Strathpeffer Highland Gathering
8 August 2020, Strathpeffer, Highlands
Enjoy this traditional Highland Gathering in the sylvan setting of the grounds of Castle Leod on the edge of the village of Strathpeffer.
Abernethy Highland Games & Clan Grant Gathering
8 August 2020, Nethy Bridge, Inverness-shire
Morebattle Highland Games
8 August 2020, Kelso, Scottish Borders
Perth Highland Games
9 August 2020
Ballater Highland Games
13 August 2020, Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire
Grantown Show
tbc 13 August 2020, Grantown-on-Spey
An agricultural show with livestock (including Highland Cows), food stands, farmers’ market, tractors and much more. A great day out for all the family.
Assynt Highland Games
14 August 2020, Lochinver, north Highlands
Nairn Highland Games
15 August 2020 - CANCELLED
Stirling Highland Games
15 August 2020
Helmsdale Highland Games
15 August 2020, north Highlands
Glenfinnan Highland Gathering
15 August 2020, Lochaber, west Highlands
Crieff Highland Games
16 August 2020, Perthshire
Kinlochard Highland Gathering
16 August 2020
The Gathering is an annual community gala day and mini Highland Games for the village of Kinlochard in the heart of the Trossachs
Glenisla Highland Games
21 August 2020, Glenisla, Angus
Glenurquhart Highland Games
22 August 2020 at Drumnadrochit, Loch Ness
Lochaber Agricultural Show & Family Fun Day
tbc 22 August 2020, Inverlochy Castle Farm, near Fort William
Lonach Highland Games
22 August 2020, Strathdon, Aberdeenshire
Isle of Bute Highland Games
22 August 2020
Galloway Country Fair
22 - 23 August 2020 at Drumlanrig Castle, Thornhill, Dumfries & Galloway
Argyllshire Gathering (Oban Highland Games)
27 August 2020
Blair Castle International Horse Trials and Country Fair
27 - 31 August 2020, Blair Atholl, Perthshire
Scotland’s premier equestrian event is held annually in one of Scotland’s most scenic locations. Four days of International Eventing takes centre stage while the Bruar Country Fair offers something the non-horsey visitor.
Cowal Highland Gathering
27 - 29 August 2020
The world's largest Highland Games at Dunoon
Birnam Highland Games
29 August 2020, Little Dunkeld, Perthshire
Over 150 years old.
Moffat Show
29 August 2020
Annual agricultural show in Dumfries and Galloway.
Grantown Highland Games
tbc late August 2020, Cairngorms
Kirkcudbright Floodlit Tattoo and Fireworks
29 August 2020, Dumfries & Galloway
September 2020
Dundee Flower and Food Festival
4 - 6 September 2020, Camperdown Country Park, Dundee
Dundee's big floral and foodie event of the year.
Dalmally Agricultural Show
tbc 5 September 2020
Annual agricultural show in Argyll.
The Royal Burgh of Peebles Highland Games
5 September 2020, Peebles
Pipe band contest, Highland dancing, traditional heavy events, trade stands, craft tent and beer tent.
Braemar Gathering
5 September 2020, Braemar
International athletes will be among those taking part in the "heavy" and "track" events. Pipers and dancers will be of the usual high standard while teams from H.M. Forces will compete in the InterServices Unit Tug of War Championship and in the Services Medley Relay Race.
Blairgowrie and Rattray Highland Games
6 September 2020, Blairgowrie, Perthshire
Traditional Highland game events including heavyweights, running, Highland dancing, piping, etc. Also includes the International Highland Games Federation Stones of Strength Scottish Final.
Pitlochry Highland Games
12 September 2020, Recreation Ground, Pitlochry, Perthshire
Traditional Highland games with piping, Highland dancing, heavy events, track and field, grand pipe band contest for grades 1 to 4 and novice juvenile. There will also be a grand finale of massed bands.
