Moray residents who felt that Edinburgh was a little bit too far to travel to attend the famous military tattoo might feel they’ve hardly moved from home if they head along the coast to Fort George next month.
The Highland Military Tattoo is second in size only to the world-famous Edinburgh version – but the real hook for Moray is that many of the participants are well known in this part of the world.
One of the main highlights in Fort George will be the Fochabers Fiddlers – while there is also a first opportunity to see one of Scotland’s finest pipe bands, with 2622(Highland) Squadron’s pipes and drums front and centre at Fort George.
The RAF Reserves band has been enjoying a fantastic summer, picking up awards at both the European Pipe Band Championships in Forres and the World Championships recently held in Glasgow.
Meanwhile the sappers from 39 Engineer Regiment at Kinloss will play a major part in events at the Highland Tattoo, competing in a traditional field gun competition.
So much participation from Moray is no accident with the man behind the event being non other than Major General Seymour Monro, current president of the Forres Pipe Band and living just outside the town.
[box type=”info”] More information is available at www.highlandmilitarytattoo.com or by calling Ticketmaster Scotland on 0844 499 9990. Tickets, priced from £10 to £30, are also available on this number or via the Ticketmaster Scotland website. Booking fees apply.[/box] He said: “We are very lucky here in Moray to have a wide selection of top quality home grown talent to tap into for the Tattoo.
“It promises to be a spectacular event with something for everyone and, as a Moray man, I’m delighted that we have so many people from Moray involved.
“Fort George is a hugely impressive venue where many men from Moray trained primarily for the Seaforths and later the Queen’s Own Highlanders. And it’s easy to reach from most parts of Moray!'”
The Moray connections don’t end there, as the Tattoo will kick off with a flypast by a Typhoon from 6 Squadron based at RAF Lossiemouth.
The Highland Military Tattoo runs from September 5 to September 7 and forms part of Highland Homecoming 2014, a year-long programme of events alongside the Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games.
Support for the Tattoo has come from EventScotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Inverness Common Good Fund and Highland Council.
All profits from the events will be donated to Armed Forces charities.