It’s nearly time for The Gathering, the lively annual festival that attracts thousands of revellers to Inverness.
2024’s event takes place on June 1 and will feature music from Skerryvore, Julie Fowlis, Torridon and many more.
It will be held in the city’s Bught Park.
It will be the fifth incarnation of the one-day festival since it started in 2019.
Let’s take a look at what to expect.
Who is playing and when does The Gathering start?
The gates open at 11.30am, June 1, with the first band on stage at 12pm.
There will be different acts on throughout the day before it eventually comes to a close at 10.30pm.
Times for each individual artist are usually released a little bit closer to the event.
In addition to Skerryvore, Julie Fowlis and Torridon, there will also be performances from:
- Trail West
- Valtos
- Croft No. 5
- Sian
- Malin Lewis
- Cala
- City of Inverness pipe band
There will also be other acts that are still to be announced.
Aside from the music, what else is there at The Gathering?
The Gathering is a family-friendly event, so there are plenty of activities for kids too.
Among them are:
- Circus skills and magic
- ‘Cleas’ fun, play and activities
- Stilt walkers and aerial circus
- Mini Highland Games
- Face painting
- Messy play, crafts and games
- Come and try music sessions
- Gaelic singing lessons
The junior events will run until 5pm.
How do I get there from Inverness city centre and is there parking?
There is no designated festival parking, so it’s a good idea to plan ahead.
The usual parking spaces dotted around the Bught, Whin Park and the Archive Centre are likely to be extremely busy.
Instead, you’re more likely to get parked in the city centre.
From there, Bught Park is roughly a 20-minute walk.
If that’s not your thing, you can also get a number 2 Stagecoach bus from Academy Street.
The route will take you as close as the Tomnahurich Cemetery gates, get off there for a short walk and the whole journey should take around 15 minutes.
You can pick up a taxi from the rank on Academy Street or give a local firm a ring to book ahead – Inverness Taxis and Inverness City Taxis are two of the best-known options.
If you’ve got a willing friend or relative, drop-offs are also possible but just be aware the roads around Bught Park will be busier than normal.
Will there be food?
Yes. And lots of it.
You’re not allowed to bring your own alcohol to the event, but there will be pop-up bars within the grounds.
That caused a huge problem at the inaugural event in 2019 when there were long waiting times for the bar.
Thankfully, the situation has improved since then.
Previous years included a food village, with stalls from local companies like Perk Coffee and Doughnuts, Bad Girl Bakery and Highland Hogroasts.
Small unopened food items will be allowed in – but that’s where organisers draw the line.
Do I need cash?
There will be contactless payments across the majority of the site.
But in the past there have been a small number of traders who have only accepted cash.
It makes sense to carry a little bit with you if you’re planning to peruse the stalls.
Can I still get tickets?
Yes.
The event is not yet sold out and tickets are being sold on The Gathering’s official website.
Adult tickets will set you back £60.50 and tickets for children aged 6-15 are £41.80 (both including booking fee).
Children that are aged five and under go free.
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