Event: United Kingdom

Ballater Highland Games

When:	14 Aug 2008 (annual)
Where:	Monaltrie Park

This festival, which takes place every August, offers a wide range of traditional Highland games set in stunning scenery. Established back in 1864, it is one of the scores of Highland gatherings that take place throughout Scotland every summer.

Not just a chance to see men sweat in the "heavy" sporting events, these traditional games hark back to clan heritage and old Scottish culture, including Scottish dancing and bagpiping.

The "heavy" events - the shot putt, hammer throwing and caber tossing - feature large men in tartan sweating profusely as they hurl large objects as far as they can. For teams of heavies there is a five-a-side tug-of-war competition, while hill racing sorts the men from the boys in the running stakes. The piping championship glories under its Celtic name, Piobaireachd.

During the week of the Ballater Highland Games, the town also celebrates Queen Victoria (a regular visitor to Scotland, of course), in Ballater Victoria Week.