The Scottish Highland Games are memorable and world-famous for their exciting, colorful and fun. The dignified and skilled massed pipe bands dressed in their finery, droning their traditional pipe tunes, and the proud flamboyant Highland dancers are real crowd pleasers. Add to this the agility and skill of the heavies who tossed the caber, throw the hammer, tug-of-war and you have and historic spectacle well worth traveling many miles to witness.

The summer schedule begins in June with theCornhill Highland Games and goes through September when the most prestigious Scottish Highland Games, and the largest event in all Scotland, the Braemar gathering. There is sure to be a Highland Games going on somewhere when you visit Scotland during the summer.

The Lonach Gathering is certainly a unique event - the march of the Clansmen you will see nowhere else. And full Highland dress, and arms with Lochaber battleaxes, the men of Lonach parade around the arena, marching together in all their glory. This gathering is warm and friendly, a gathering of friends and clansmen whose unparalleled enthusiasm and genius make these games so outstandingly successful.

At the end of the summer season, the grand finale takes place, The Braemar Gathering. The prestige of this event is attested to by the presence of the Queen herself, Queen Elizabeth II, who is the patron of this, the largest, if not the oldest Of the Scottish Highland Games. This event fairly reeks with tradition, and the crowd it attracts is a very loyal. The royal family themselves pay a visit each year.

These Highland games date back more than a millennium when local clansmen gathered to compete and showcase their physical prowess. Thousands of spectators gather to enjoy the competitions, the bagpipe music, the dancing, colorful traditional dress and the age-old traditions. Games organized in smaller towns of Scotland are equally appealing, however because by their nature they are more friendly, clozy, and intimate than the large gatherings. The Scottish Highland games are more, much more than a sporting competition. They are tradition, time-honored and beloved of both the Scottish people and visitors from around the world.

Although Scotland is best known for its Highland games it is also host to many other great galas, sporting events, festivals, and shows. Other events less well-known are surfing festivals, horse trials, and T in the park, which is a very large music festival, Scotland's largest outdoor event.