Countdown begins for Royal Highland Show
PREPARATIONS for the 178th Royal Highland Show, which will be held on June 2124, are well under way – and it promises to offer the best of Scotland’s farming, food and rural life.
Supported by the Royal Bank of Scotland and staged at the Royal Highland Centre, at Ingliston, the four-day event will see more than 6,000 farm animals and horses, rural crafts, a dedicated forestry area, award-winning farriers’ display, a busy countryside arena with a wide variety of exciting displays and any number of big tractors – as well as the biggest food festival in Scotland.
Entertainment plays a big part with a variety of live music across two stages, and shopping in the 13th Avenue Arcade includes fashion, artwork and furniture for home and garden.
Children aged 15 and under go free with an accompanying adult, and the RHET discovery centre is a must visit for curious youngsters looking to discover more about the countryside and where their food comes from.
Scotland’s Larder Live is a must-see part of the show with the food and drink on display as well as top chefs cooking delicious dishes.
‘There is real customer loyalty to our show,’ said David Jackson, show manager, ‘with almost two thirds having attended five times or more, which I think is testament to just how exciting, different and authentic a day at the show is for everyone. However, what is equally exciting is the number of people attending for the first time.
‘The show continues to expand in size and popularity. In 2017, we welcomed a record-breaking 190,000 visitors and generated £65 million for the economy. The show is a truly unique event offering a day packed full day of entertainment and enjoyment for under £50 for a family of four.’
The show’s biggest attraction is, without doubt, the exhibition of world class livestock – with more than 6,000 of the finest cattle, sheep, goats, horses and poultry heading for the Ingliston showground.
The RHET (Royal Highland Education Trust) Discovery Centre is a must-visit for families, with over 30,000 young people welcomed last year for free.
With a focus on showcasing rural skills, the forge and the sheep shearing arena bring to life the work undertaken in the countryside, while the forestry area and the hugely popular pole climbing are back again for the 2018 show.
The Scottish Women’s Institute handcrafts competition, staged in the handcrafts pavilion, has some of the best examples of rural crafts from across Scotland and attracts competition entries for other parts of the world.
Scotland’s Larder Live, the country’s biggest exhibition of food and drink, is a must visit destination for visitors and offers everyone a great opportunity to taste new and exciting foods from Scotland. It also gives farmers and producers a great opportunity to meet consumers for feedback and gives consumers the chance to learn how food is produced and the process involved.
In the cookery theatre, Scotland’s chefs demonstrate how incredible meals can be created using quality ingredients from Scotland.
The wide range of shopping outlets brings together a range of retailers, from fashion to home wear, jewellery to furniture, pet accessories to arts and crafting, many of which will see their biggest sales event of the year.
Working alongside all our onsite caterers, the show has devised a strict food charter that all food-to-go outlets must adhere to, ensuring top quality food, be it chips and a burger or something a little more exotic.
There is a wide selection to choose from and the food charter requires that only ingredients that have been locally produced, wherever possible, and ethically sourced can be served. This means that not only quality is high but also Scottish farmers and growers are supported. To ensure that highest quality is maintained, all onsite caterers are independently assessed every year.
For further information visit www.royalhighlandshow. org, @ScotlandRHShow and #RHS2018