Thousands descended upon the Aboyne Green for the much anticipated return of the village’s Highland Games.
Grey skies did nothing to dampen the buzz of the Deeside crowd as people of all ages flocked to Saturday’s spectacular event.
After a brief drizzle, when the traditional pipe bands marched through the village, the good weather appeared to hold with many commenting on the warm weather.
Making a grand return from a Covid-related two-year hiatus: pipers, Highland dancers, heavyweight competitors and athletes all put on their best performances to the cheers and applause from excited crowds.
The sounds of bagpipes and drums marked the entrance of an impressive mass pipe band as they marched across the green to open the games.
After the official raising of the chieftain flag, the Earl of Aboyne and deputy chieftain, Alistair Aboyne, welcomed the surrounding crowds.
“This year is the 155th Aboyne Highland Games,” he said. “Until now only two world wars have stopped us from meeting.
“They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. These past two years have been a timely reminder of just how fortunate we are to host this remarkable and historic event every year at Aboyne.
“And the atmosphere here on games day is thanks to all of you.”
Great day out for the family
Spectators gathered with friends and family around the events on the green and enjoyed the jam-packed schedule for the day.
Stalls selling handmade crafts and unique gifts and tents with local organisations were dotted around the park for visitors to browse.
Colourful rides and fair games were also on full display for children and families to enjoy together while local food stands such as the Seafood Bothy was keeping people well fed.
Gillian Smith from Aboyne said it was a great day out for their family.
The 39-year-old said: “The children enjoy the events and we like watching the events too. My husband enjoys the beer tent and the kids like the fair rides as well.”
She said it was a great way to pass on some of the traditional heritage onto their three children and to meet up with friends and family.
This year the games are also celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Aboyne dress which is now worn by nearly all Highland dancers around the world.
To commemorate the occasion, a special reel was performed by local dancers Rachael Walker and Michelle Gordon.
‘Not just about wearing kilts, we want to give something back’
A clan village which featured many stalls from Scottish clans was set up near the green to help teach visitors about their heritage.
Baird Clan Society, a charitable organisation in the UK and the USA, is celebrating 50 years since its founding this year.
One of the society’s longest serving members, Ross Baird from Aberdeen, said it was the clan’s first time at the games in Aboyne.
He said: “Braemar, which is where we normally go, they don’t have a clan village like this. This is a great idea. A lot of the clans are here and we can get ideas from them as well which is great and everybody is really friendly.
“It’s trying to get the Baird name out there because we’re set up in the UK as a charity so we’re wanting to give back to Scotland.
“This year we’re just away to negotiate to buy a building based in New Aberdour and we’re planning on making it into a Baird Clan Centre. Because that’s where the Baird originally come from sort of Pennan across to Fraserburgh that was the Baird lands.”
In America the society have set up a charitable system which helps support underprivileged children through education which they hope to bring to Scotland.
The 75-year-old added: “We don’t just want to wear our kilts and listen to pipe bands, we want to do a bit of something to give back.”
‘He cried when he heard the pipers’
Visitors have flocked from all over the world to visit the popular historical event.
Erin Cress, from Seattle, said this was their family’s third Highland games. She and her husband lived in St Andrews for five years before moving back to the States.
However, their four-year-old son Levi, who was sporting some tartan trousers, was born in Scotland and they said Scotland feels like home.
Mrs Cress said: “Levi was born in Dundee so we’re bringing him back to see everything. He is so excited he already cried. He heard the piper and he was like ‘It’s my home music.’
“Every Christmas and birthday he wears his kilt, so he wanted trousers this time.
“He said ‘I really want to go to Highland Games’ because he heard us talk about them.
“It’s just a really nice time to gather together and kind of celebrate some of the things that make more traditional Scotland fun.
“Because there’s so many new and inventive things, I mean Scotland’s always been huge with innovation but it’s fun to have a reason to get together too.”
Crowds have been waiting for the return of the games
They said they were most excited about seeing the caber toss and had been enjoying hearing the pipers again.
Secretary of the games, Morag McBeath said it had been a “fantastic” day and this year definitely has a “bumper crowd”.
“We’ve had good weather all week,” she added. “We’ve had a couple of heavy showers during the week when we’ve been setting up but other than that it’s been good.
“The games are a huge thing for the village and it benefits the whole village as well, the whole of Deeside really.
“It’s been a really busy day and this year the atmosphere is better than it’s been before. It’s like they’ve all been waiting for it to come back.”
For more photos from the event, click here.
Conversation