Family day out at Games
Event at Meadow Park
The Highland Games will shortly descend on Bathgate, promising a great day out for the whole family.
The popular event is held at Meadow Park in Bathgate on Saturday, May 26 offering something for everyone.
The games open to the public at 9am, with the Highland dancing and solo piping starting at 10am. The pipe band competitions start at 12pm and the heavy sports at 12.30pm. The Cairnpapple Hill Road Race sets off at 2.30pm.
The excitement builds the night before, with the March of the Chieftains parade down f rom Bathgate town centre to the Meadow Park for an evening of entertainment on Friday, May 25.
The parade starts at Bathgate Steelyard from 7.30pm and heads up George Street Precinct, then along North Bridge Street, South Bridge Street and Glasgow Road to the Meadow Park.
An official handover of the chieftains will take place before performances of Highland dancing, piping and drumming, Scottish poetry, and both the Network senior and junior choirs to celebrate the year of youth.
West Lothian Highland Games chairperson Alex Linkston said: “The 2018 West Lothian Highland Games promises to be another fantastic event.
“We will have pipe band and solo piping competitions, Highland dancing, heavy sports such as tossing the caber and the challenging Weslo Cairnpapple Hill race and much more.”
There will also be a variety of other activities and attractions on the day, including cookery demonstrations, plus various food and craft stalls.
Lothian Miniature Road Steam Club will also be attending with a few mini steam engines, an attraction for young and old.
Four West Lothian High Schools have participated in The Great School Bake off, and entries will be judged by Truly Scrumptious of Linlithgow, Tesco Bathgate and the Games Chieftain, May Ross.
May (81) from Boghall in Bathgate has been involved in every aspect of the games since she joined the committee back in the very early 1980s, including helping host the European Pipe Band Championships.
West Lothian Highland Games has recent l y launched a new Patronage scheme, where supporters can become a patron of the games in return for a number of key benefits.
To keep in touch with updates in the build- up to the games, please visit www.westlothiangames. com or follow them on social media – search for West Lothian Highland Games on Facebook or @ westlothianHG on Twitter.