Highland Games - what’s going on this weekend in Dufftown and the Cabrach and during the rest of 2024

The busy schedule of Highland Games in the region continues this weekend with events in Dufftown on Saturday and the Cabrach on Sunday.

Things kick off in Dufftown at 10.30am tomorrow which will mark the start of the Highland Dancing competitions.

Other highlights throughout the day include the Ben Rinnes Five Tops Hill Race at noon, followed by the tug o’war plus the heavy and field events, all at 1pm.

The Chieftain and pipe bands are scheduled to enter the town’s playing field at 1.15pm, while the piping and drumming competitions are set for 2.50pm.

The massed bands will be on the fields at 3.30pm and 4.30pm, before beating the retreat in the town centre at 6pm.

Over at the Cabrach on Sunday the day will begin at noon with Huntly Pipe Band officially opening the event at Inverharroch Farm.

Highland Dancing demonstrations and interactive sessions will then take place throughout the afternoon.

There’ll also be have-a-go events for children from 12.25pm and for adults from 1.35pm under the expert guidance of Charlie Murray, chair of the Royal Scottish Highland Games Association.

A keenly-anticipated tug-o-war between teams representing Upper Cabrach and Lower Cabrach will be played out at 2.20pm, followed by The Cabrach Heavy Stone event at 2.55pm and subsequent award of The Cabrach Rose Bowl to the top-performing male and female participants.

The result of the raffle, a vote of thanks, and a pipe band procession will then mark the close of the day at around 3.15pm.

This year’s Highland Games season kicked off with Gordonstoun Junior Highland Games back on April 27 Read about it HERE.

Gordon Castle Highland Games followed on May 19 and welcomed a VIP visitor from Hollywood in the form of Scottish export Alan Cummings. HERE

Thousands of folk turned out for the ever-popular Cornhill Games on the first day of June

Forres celebrated its 96th Highland Games on July 6, followed by Tomintoul last Saturday, the 27th, which saw its best turnout in decades.

Upcoming dates for your diary are the Aberlour Highland Games on Sunday, August 3, and the biggest of them all, the Braemar Highland Gathering on Saturday, September 7.