This year’s Braemar Gathering – which is traditionally attended by the Queen – has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Braemar Royal Highland Charity and the organising committee of the event said the decision would be “disappointing for many”, but is the “right one to protect the safety of the local community, competitors, spectators and officials, many of whom travel from around the world to Braemar”.
David Geddes, president of the Braemar Royal Highland Society, said: “It’s been a very difficult decision to make, and to cancel a gathering is something which I had hoped I would never have to do in my time as president.”
The Queen the patron of the Braemar Gathering.
The event was due to take place this year at the Princess Royal & Duke of Fife Memorial Park in Aberdeenshire on Saturday, September 5.
Alongside the Braemar Gathering, organisers said Aboyne Highland Games and Lonach Highland Gathering & Games have also been cancelled.
As a result, all but a handful of the 60-plus events affiliated with the Scottish Highland Games Association have now been cancelled this season.
Mr Geddes added: “Being one of the last events of the Highland games year, we had hoped that we might still be able to run the gathering as normal and have been working towards that.
“However, the recent updates on the continued spread of Covid-19, travel restrictions, and instructions from the Scottish and UK governments have shown that this will not now be possible without putting folk at risk.”
Tickets bought for this year’s event have been automatically carried over to next year.
The 2021 Braemar Highland Gathering is scheduled to take place on Saturday, September 4.
If you have any questions, email secretary@braemargathering.org or go to braemargathering.org.
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