NAIRN’S annual Highland Games ceremony was held at the Links playing field on Saturday and received hundreds of visitors who came to revel in the celebrations.

This year was the 144th time the event has been held since it started in 1867 and, as ever, it featured a series of definitive Scottish activities.

The games had its usual rounds of traditional heavyweight events like toss the caber, hammer throw, and tug-of-war.

There were also several performances from pipers and drummers, including members of the Huntly and District Pipe Band, which pleased the crowds.

Convener Hugh Allison said this was one of the largest crowds he had seen at the gathering in almost 40 years as a committee member.

“The Nairn Games always delivers in terms of the range of events,” he said.

“We had [actor] Nicholas Ralph giving out some of the awards and it’s lovely to have a guest of honour who is actually from the town.

“This year everybody settled right back into the very best of what we did pre-pandemic, and I think we are getting close to the gold standard.”

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Groups of Highland dancers also performed and, during the competitions, there were runners of the half marathon coming into the arena to the finish line.

Many local businesses and charities had stalls set up across the field, where visitors could take part in raffles and test out products.

In the middle of the field was a beer marquee, which was filled to the brim with visitors looking for a way to cope with the 27C heat.

Across the road, The Bandstand bar and restaurant had a similar scene.

Also on offer was an array of different amusement rides and stalls, including a spectacular ferris wheel and the daunting Freak Out ride.

Festivities went on well into the night.

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