Crowds are expected to descend on Oldmeldrum next month for the return of the “Sunshine Games”.
Oldmeldrum Sports and Highland Games will take place on June 18 for the first time since 2019.
Celebrating its 92nd anniversary this year, the games had only ever been cancelled for the Aberdeen typhoid outbreak in 1964 before Covid.
Visitors can look forward to the usual array of heavyweight and lightweight events, tug o’war, Highland dancing and piping competitions.
Former president of the Royal Scottish Highland Games Association, Jim Brown will formally open this year’s event at the town’s Pleasure Park.
Fun for all ages
Among the sporting events on offer will be the caber toss, which this year forms part of the British Caber Championship.
The mace o’er the banner competition is also on the agenda for pipers, along with the drum major’s display and the ever-popular massed pipe band performances.
At 2pm, the Meldrum Five Miler race will take place, as well as a one mile kids race.
The event will also see performances from professional wrestlers WrestleZone, as well as displays from a dog agility team, Ellon’s Dance Spirit Group and Oldmeldrum Karate Club.
Elsewhere, magician Dean Spruce will be showing off his tricks, while there will be a display by a number of pipe bands.
‘Everything’s fallen into place again’
Gordon Forsyth, secretary of the Oldmeldrum Sports Committee, said he was pleased that “everything’s fallen into place again”.
“It’ll be nice to see some people again after the last few years,” he said. “The athletes have all been waiting for two and a bit years to get back into competing, it’s been a tough break for them.
“Folk are just keen to meet up with old friends and seeing folk they haven’t seen over the past two years.”
On the Friday night, a dinner dance will take place to kick off the festivities.
After all the fun of the games is over, a Saturday night marquee disco will take place for over 18s. Tickets will be available on the door.
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