Fort Nottingham Highland Gathering
Fort Nottingham Museum and surrounds: Sat 24 August 2024
This year’s annual Fort Nottingham Highland Gathering takes place in and around Fort Nottingham on Saturday 24 August, and looks set to be a bumper event – with a full field of athletes and a great line up of Scottish performers.
The prime focus of the day is typical Highland athletics events in which teams of men and women compete against each other in unusual sporting codes. There are eight men’s teams and a record of five women teams competing this year.
Among the Highland codes which are still practised today are tug-o’-war which is probably the only athletic event in which the contestant moves backward!; walk the weight in which contestants carry a 75kg rock in a tight circular route within a two-minute limitation; weight over the bar where a ring of flanged steel weighing 11 kg is thrown backward over a 5-metre pole; the stone put which is tossing a 14 kg stone, and perhaps the most dramatic to watch – tossing the caber – literally throwing a 6m long, 25kg wooden pole.
Complementing the athletics will be the rousing Pipe and Drum Bands of the Durban and Pietermaritzburg Caledonian Societies, who will be stirring the emotions with their field display and glorious music. Each band will do a stage show and a field marching display, and they will perform as a massed band for the opening ceremony.
Added attractions include a Fire Engine display, a vintage car drive past and display. There will be Medieval Fight Club demos, and the always impressive Haggis ceremony. There will be a village stocks – for you to incarcerate rude kids and quarrelsome aunties. For the kids there will be activities, demos, a sack race, tug o’ war and child-friendly sword-fighting sessions (with pool noodles rather than swords!)
There will be Scottish and folk dancing, talks and an extensive village market – with stalls of handmade goods and craft items. Many with a Scottish theme. The organisers have cast the net wide to ensure locally-sourced market wares and Midlands based merchandise. So, if you are looking to buy a handmade bespoke kilt, this is the weekend to do so. There is still time to book a stall if you have quality items you would like to sell.
There is a beer garden with craft beers and artisanal spirits on sale – and quite possibly there will be whisky tastings during the day, and a huge variety of food stalls. The wearing of kilts is encouraged, but not compulsory!
There is still time to book a local B&B or a room in one of the nearby hotels and plan a weekend of it and explore some of the other Midland’s attractions – fly fishing; meandering or enjoying a relaxing time away.
Good to Know
Bring picnic blankets, sun hats, warm clothing and sunscreen.
NO food, drink or glass to be bought onto the property please.
Reach out to us via Facebook: Fortnottinghamgames / Instagram: Fortnottinghamgames
Tickets on sale through Quicket.
Adults – R120 / OAPs and teenagers – R70 / kids under 12 free.
R20 per car for parking (cash at gate, or in advance through Quicket)
To book a market stall, contact Louise on theladylouise@yahoo.com
Gates open at 8am