Saddle up for summer fun at top family friendly rural celebration

Pegasus Vaulting Group performing at the main arena | GWCT

Set in the beautiful grounds of the Perthshire home of Scottish kings, the Game Fair will see more than 30,000 people enjoy three days of fun, food and friendly competition.

David Gibson, GWCT Scottish Game Fair country manager for Scotland has spent the last 12 months getting prepared.

With a little less than a week to go now, he is watching the event take shape – and paying particular attention to the length of the grass at the International Gundog Arena.

One of the main attractions at the fair, the arena will host the famous Kronch Four Nations Gundog Competition for a tenth time, with teams from Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales competing.

“It’s one of the biggest things to put together,” David explains. “It needs to be just right – we have to install a pond, and we need to keep the grass a bit longer, to equalise the conditions for the dogs in the retrieval tests.”

The Game Fair is a very dog-friendly event | GWCT

The contest is one of the biggest events at the Scottish Game Fair, now in its 38th year, and organised by Stable Events in partnership with Scottish charity the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT).

Over the last 80 years, the body has helped farmers and landowners look after Scotland’s incredible countryside, and the fair provides them with the ideal chance to meet the people they help and educate the public about what they do.

As well as a chance to see the best that Scotland’s world renowned countryside has to offer, however, the event also encourages visitors to have a go at activities from fly fishing and shooting to creating rural craft displays and other family-friendly fun.

For youngsters this year that includes the free-to-enter Junior Macnab Challenge. Supported by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), the Scottish Youth & the Countryside Education Trust, and many others, the challenge encourages young people to discover and develop their skills.

Entrants can try their hand at fly fishing, air rifle shooting, and clay shooting, with their scores at all three entered into a draw to win a fantastic array of prizes.

Fishing demonstrations at the Game Fair | Andrew Godfrey Photography

The hands-on experiences are not just for kids, though. Set on the banks of the River Tay, there’s no better place to perfect the art of fishing. It is one of the best salmon rivers in Europe, with anglers from all over the world coming –perhaps –to try their luck at breaking Georgina Ballantine’s 1922 record for the largest ever rod-caught salmon in the UK, landed on the Tay, weighing in at 64lbs.

Visitors to the fair will be able to try their hand at fishing with experienced coaches, watch some of Scotland’s best fly tyers in action, and see some of the very best in the sport during live demonstrations.

Shooting will also have a big presence at the fair. The Shooting Line, hosted by Lock Stock Sporting, features clay shooting competitions, have-a-go shooting experiences, BASC coaching sessions, and the chance to win fantastic prizes in a range of competitions, including the 40 Bird Challenge.

The main arena will feature gundog demonstrations, falconry displays, pipe bands, equestrian showcases and more, offering visitors a chance to see skilled handlers, magnificent animals and time-honoured country pursuits in action.

Another of the star attractions this year will be appearances by the Hebridean Baker, Coinneach MacLeod. A regular on ITV’s This Morning and BBC’s Morning Live, and star of the BBC series Hebridean Baker: Nordic Islands, his distinctive voice has earned him the title of Scotland’s Food & Drink Influencer of the Year at the recent at the Scottish Influencer Awards.

Coinneach MacLeod | Contributed

He will be bringing his unique blend of Hebridean food, culture, and storytelling to the NFU Mutual Summer Party main stage, in one of the must-see highlights of the weekend.

Coinneach will also be live in action at the Scottish Venison Cookery Theatre, being run in association with The Scotsman, which will allow budding chefs to enjoy live demonstrations and inspiring cookery masterclasses throughout the weekend.

And a special family event on Sunday will see Danila Forbes, chef, stylist and food educator from The Cook Academy, lead a fun, hands-on family cookery workshop where children and parents will learn how to turn affordable, sustainable Scottish venison into a delicious Middle Eastern-inspired flatbread feast.

Tickets for this cost £10 per adult and child pair and it is expected to be very popular, so book in advance.

The dog-friendly event also offers plenty for your four-legged friends to get involved in, such as the scurry, an open test of their speed skill and teamwork.

There is also a doggy creche, if you want to wander off and enjoy a few activities without your faithful companion.

As well as these highlights, a vast shopping area featuring hundreds of exhibitors showcasing everything from country clothing and outdoor gear to artisan gifts, homewares, rural crafts, and specialist equipment, will be open all weekend.

The NFU Mutual Summer Party will celebrate the very best of Scottish culture and entertainment, with special headline performances rounding off each day at the Fair.

On Friday Glasgow-based bagpipe pop band The Rollin Drones will take over the main stage. The band are known for their traditional influences given a modern twist and high-energy act.

On Saturday headline act The Jacobites will be bringing a lively evening of music, dancing, and unforgettable atmosphere.

This year also sees the first Battle of the Bothy Bands, with six bands performing over the weekend showcasing their talent, energy, and originality to both the audience and a panel of judges. Their votes will be tallied up with votes from the public at the end of the weekend, with the winning band walking away with a £1,000 cash prize.

For David, that is the event he is most looking forward to.

“I’m looking forward to the music. We’ve added more entertainment this year and one big new event is the Battle of the Bothy Bands which I think will be incredible. Any new event you always get excited to see how it will go.

“It’s a great event though and it’s great to see so many new Scottish businesses getting involved because they recognise this is a rare chance to meet their customers face-to-face. You can do a lot online, but with something like this is a big thing to be able to talk to people in person and put on demonstrations.”

Like any major outdoor event in Scotland, the Scottish Game Fair is at the whims of our country’s famously changeable weather, and the website advises visitors to Prepare for all weather conditions, although David is hopeful this will be a dry and sunny event.

“It’s looking good so far,” he said of the forecast. “The first weekend in July does tend to be very unpredictable - we had hail one year, and you get showers, but I think we’re due a bit of sunshine so I’m hoping wellies won’t be required!”

This year’s GWCT Scottish Game Fair will take place from Friday, July 3 until Sunday, July 5, with the site open from 9am until 6pm on Friday and Saturday and 9am until 5pm Sunday. The NFU Mutual Summer Party is open until 8pm on Friday and Saturday and until 4.30pm on Sunday.

Tickets can be booked online, with a special single-day family tickets covering two adults and three children available for less than £70. Events and car parking can also be booked online, and for those looking to camp for the weekend, details can be found on the Scottish Game Fair Website at https://scottishfair.com/.