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Be there to see unveiling of official Aberdeenshire flag at Castle Fraser

The children who designed the winning emblem will watch on with pride as it's raised.

The Aberdeenshire flag ceremony will take place at Castle Fraser.
Thousands helped pick the winning design, which will be unveiled at the upcoming Aberdeenshire flag ceremony. Image: Chris Donnan/DC Thomson

The official Aberdeenshire flag will be unveiled at a ceremony celebrating all that is best about the north-east.

There well be tartan pageantry aplenty as the newly-decided emblem of the historic region is hoisted into place atop Castle Fraser.

The event, on the outskirts of Dunecht, comes after a record-breaking 820 entries were received during the autumn of 2022.

By December, a final five had been decided and more than 4,000 of you took part in a vote on the P&J website.

A panel of experts assembled for the first judging session at Finzean Hall in October. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson 

When can I attend Aberdeenshire flag ceremony?

The event, on Saturday April 22, will begin at 11am.

And the school pupils who crafted the winning design will be guests of honour.

Castle Fraser in Aberdeenshire. Image: National Trust

They will be escorted to the front of the castle by The Drums and Pipes of The Gordon Highlanders Association and an Honour Guard from The Lonach Highlanders.

The youngsters will then climb to the top of the tower to watch it being raised.

Until then, you can refresh your memory on the final five flags with our guide below – and let us know which one you hope wins in the comments section!

Flag A

Could this one be raised on Saturday?

The cross is made of two colours; blue for the Don and the Dee, and green for Aberdeenshire’s arable land and wild woodland.

It is on a bright golden background representing the light, as the county is the first in mainland Scotland to greet the dawn.

The crown at the centre recalls the arms of the historic county council.

Flag B

Will this entry have hooked voters? 

The salmon symbolise fishing both out at sea and within the county’s waterways.

The two yellow lines represent the two ancient mormaer earldoms of the historic county.

Mar gives us the diagonal orientation, while the blue field denotes Buchan.

Flag C

Could this one look fitting flapping in the wind atop Castle Fraser? 

The white castle represents Aberdeenshire as Scotland’s ‘Castle Country’ but also Balmoral specifically, whose royal association is referenced by the crown.

The golden-orange colour represents both barley, with the county hosting a quarter of the nation’s arable land, and the whisky that results.

Meanwhile, the purple symbolises the heather on the mountains.

Flag D

Will this one reap the rewards?

The green field recalls the rich agricultural and natural wealth of Aberdeenshire,

A barley sheaf is used in the ancient and civic heraldry of the county.

It can also represent the whisky industry.

The stone crown recalls granite, castles and the area’s royal connections.

There are five jewels for the traditional areas of the historic county: Buchan, Formartine, Gairoch, Marr and Strathbogie.

Their black colour denotes oil.

Flag E

Did this colourful entry impress many of the 4,200 voters? 

The blue inverted Y shape represents the Dee and the Don flowing through the county before they both join the North Sea.

A golden edge to the rivers represents the inland crops and the coastal beaches.

The red colour represents both Aberdeen and the Cairngorms, whose Gaelic name Am Monadh Ruadh translates to the Red Hills.

There is a red triangle at the bottom to represent one of these mountains.

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