Stirling Highland Games has celebrated another successful gathering, with 6125 visitors attending the 2026 event at Stirling Sports Village on Saturday 15th August.
The annual event brought together competitors, traders, choirs, reenactments, pipe band performances, storytelling and volunteers, alongside thousands of spectators, for a day showcasing traditional Highland competition alongside athletics, cycling, Highland dancing, food, drink and family entertainment.
Games Chieftain Jackie Pirie said she was honoured to have been invited to oversee such an important event in Stirling’s calendar. “It is a real privilege to serve as Games Chieftain and to play a part in an event that brings together Stirling’s sporting heritage, culture and community. The Stirling Highland Games has grown into a wonderful celebration that welcomes people from across Scotland and beyond, and I am honoured to have been able to help lead this year’s gathering and celebrate the achievements of our competitors, performers and volunteers.”The sporting programme once again demonstrated the breadth and international appeal of the Highland Games, with competitors travelling from across Scotland, the wider UK and overseas to take part.
The track and field programme featured open and youth competitions, which were highly competitive. Highlights included Greg Kelly of East Kilbride AC winning the Open 90m in 10.21 seconds, while Freddie Owsley of Edinburgh AC took the Open 200m in 22.40 seconds. Amadou Sury Sou of Stirling won the Open 400m in 50.62 seconds, with Ruaridh Miller of Kilbarchan AC winning the 800m in 1:55.73.
Youth competition was equally strong, with Fionn Mallon winning the Youth 90m in 10.96 seconds and Olly Banks taking the Youth 400m in 48.18 seconds. The cycling programme included 800m, 1600m and 3200m races, while Josef Ingham won the Long Jump with a distance of 18ft 3in and Alex Parkinson won the Triple Jump with 35ft 8.5in.
The traditional heavy events provided another major attraction, with Aaron Castle taking first place in the Heavyweight competition, followed by Kyle Randalls and Shaun Gunn. The Games once again featured an adaptive heavyweight competition, won by Jim Holburn, with David Dent second, Chris Allsop third and Kevin Wood fourth.
The Stirling Stones Challenge saw Tim Meadows record 84ft 7in, ahead of Bradley Mitchell on 81ft 7in, with Amy McLellan third on 40ft.
Highland dancing also brought an international dimension to the Games, with competitors from Canada, the USA and England among those taking part. In the Premier 12-and-under Highland Fling, Jessica Copland of Canada took first place, while the 13–15 years competition was won by Clara McKee of Aberdeen.
Matt McGrandles, President of Stirling Highland Games, said:“The 2026 Stirling Highland Games has once again shown what can happen when Scotland’s sporting heritage is brought to life in a modern, welcoming and ambitious event. More than 6,000 people joined us this year, and it was fantastic to see competitors travelling from across Scotland, the UK and internationally to be part of the Games.“What makes Stirling particularly special is the combination of traditional Highland events with athletics, cycling, Highland dancing, music, food and entertainment. It creates an event that is genuinely accessible to everyone, whether you are a lifelong Highland Games supporter or experiencing it for the first time.“I want to thank every competitor, trader, performer, volunteer, official, partner and member of our organising team who helped make the 2026 Games possible. Their commitment is what allows us to continue building Stirling Highland Games as one of Scotland’s leading celebrations of sporting heritage and culture.”
The 2026 Games also continued to provide a platform for Scottish traders, performers and community organisations, reinforcing its role as an annual gathering for both local audiences and visitors to Stirling.
The organisers are now looking ahead to the 2027 Stirling Highland Games, while continuing their wider ambition to demonstrate that Highland Games can play a significant role in Scotland’s cultural, sporting and tourism landscape.
Stirling Highland Games welcomes more than 6,000 visitors for a celebration of Scotland’s sporting heritage
