"Capital’s Highland games will bring the world to Scotland"
Russell Jackson, The Scotsman, 1 August 2007

Scotland’s biggest-ever Highland games is to be staged in Edinburgh as part of a year of events aimed at attracting people from around the world to visit Scotland or come here to live.

The games will be staged in Holyrood Park over the same weekend as a gathering of the clans, as one of the showpieces of the yearlong campaign. More than 30,000 visitors are expected for the Gathering in 2009. Another 7,500 clam members from around the world are also expected to travel to the city for what is being billed as the world’s biggest clan gathering.

As well as traditional displays of piping, dancing, athletics and heavy events, featuring 2,00 competitors and performers, the games arena will play host to a food and drink fair. There will also be an exhibition allowing visitors to trace their ancestry, and a love music stage featuring leading contemporary and traditional bands.

The one-off events are being held on 25-26 July 2009.

The Gathering is being staged as part of Homecoming Scotland, a yearlong campaign to persuade people around the globe with an affinity to Scotland to pay a visit.

Held to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, events and celebrations are expected to be held all over Scotland, and The Gathering is already expected to be one of the highlights of the Edinburgh programme. It is being masterminded by Jamie Sempill, who has joined forces with event organiser Jenny Gilmour. He said: The Gathering is being designed as a unique occasion, with the main objective of drawing clansmen from around the world. It will take the form of a classic two-day Highland games, with a special evening event firing the Saturday.

“Over the course of the two days in Holyrood Park, we are hoping to have some 80 clan tents from around 7,500 clan members, including members of Caledonian and St. Andrew’s Societies, more than half of whom we expect to travel from overseas.

“We’re hoping at least a further 30,000 people will attend the events in the park over the weekend.”

Although the event is not due to be launched until October, when registration will be open, interest has already been pouring in from clans as far afield as the United Stated, Canada, Australia and South Africa.

Edinburgh festivals and events champion, Councillor Steve Cardownie, said: “The Gathering will be a momentous event for Edinburgh,

“Thousands of people from all over the world will descent on the capital to celebrate our history, heritage and culture.

“Many will have family links, some will have business links, and others will come just to be a part of the occasion.”

Diary dates
President's report
Editorial
Secretary's report
Udevalla
false alarm
making a video
Gossip
Capital Games
Burns' Night 2008
2009 Setting
Corncrake article
Rev. J Duffy

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