One of Aberdeenshire’s oldest Highland Games is calling for members of the public to help them celebrate its history in the weeks leading up to the event.
The Lonach Gathering is celebrating its 175th anniversary on Saturday, August 27 by asking for the public to come forward with pictures and videos from the event’s proud past.
The games started life in 1823 – and were only subsequently halted during the two world wars – when the Lonach Highland Gathering and Games was formed by Sir Charles Forbes.
The festival draws about 10,000 visitors to Bellabeg in Strathdon every year and organisers are keen to hear from people who have previously attended the event and committed their memories to celluloid.
The contributions they receive will be put on display next month.
Historically, the gathering was followed by the Lonach Highland Ball in the local hall.
Once again, the 2016 line-up will include the march of the Lonach Highlanders, which involves about 220 descendants of the Forbes, Wallace and Gordon clans, who arrive in the Lonach arena armed with Highland weaponry, including Lochaber axes.
And this year, for the first time since 2000, the Atholl Highlanders, Europe’s only private army, will join the parade.
The games will feature piping competitions, Highland dancing, heavy competitions and other sporting events.
Secretary and chief executive of the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, Jennifer Stewart, said: “The 175th Lonach Gathering is a major milestone for the society and the event itself.
“It remains an important community event and the many thousands of visitors we welcome to the gathering every year gives the local area a major boost.
“We are keen for locals and visitors to really get involved by sharing their memories of past gatherings and also help us to document the event’s evolution.
“Whether the pictures or videos were taken in recent years or decades ago, it would be fantastic to see them all.
“If any company can help us to display these pictures at the gathering, or is interested in sponsoring part of the event, we’d be interested to hear from them.”
Anyone with any images or videos of the Lonach Gathering can email them to info@lonach.org.
Where possible, old photographs should be scanned to 300dpi and any video footage should be provided as a WMV file.
