Royal Highland Show: Friday and Saturday sold out as event returns with bang after Covid pandemic

The Royal Highland Show – Scotland’s largest outdoor event – returns for its four-day run with a bang today, celebrating not only a resumption of its normal format after two years of cancellations, but also the 200th anniversary of its first ever staging.

But a rush for ticket purchases means the event is now sold out tomorrow and Saturday, with only a few tickets remaining for Sunday.

The farming and countryside event, which takes place at Ingliston outside Edinburgh, will once again offer the traditional mix of livestock, farm machinery, food halls, cookery demonstrations and country pursuits. But this year there is a bolt-on addition of a “Big Top” gig featuring Scottish rock trio Biffy Clyro on Saturday evening.

The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS), which organises the show, yesterday said it had been overwhelmed by the demand for tickets for the agricultural event following two years of a ‘no show’ due to the pandemic.

A two-month-old Highland Cow at the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

The society said the new online ticket booking system, which requires the advance purchase of entry and parking tickets and the registration of those attending – along with the setting of a daily gate ceiling of 50,000 – had been introduced as a safety measure in the wake of the Covid pandemic.

The move, which means no tickets will be available to purchase at the gates, was not without controversy, with many of the traditional show goers, used to deciding on the day if they would attend, taking to social media to express their discontent.

However, Mark Currie, director of operations at the show, welcomed the success of the new system and the fact that so many of the public were keen to engage with the best of the country's farming, food and rural life.

He said: “Showcasing Scotland's agri-sector and connecting people with where their food comes from is a vital part of the show's purpose.”

But he reminded those who hadn’t managed to get tickets that, with the aid of a £200,000 grant from the Scottish Government, much of the event would be live-streamed once again following the success of this approach last year when the stock judging took place ‘behind closed doors’ with over 345,700 viewers tuning in online across 97 countries.

“If for any reason you can’t attend this year, luckily you can still catch the action through RHS TV – it will be broadcast live from the Showground over the four days and available to watch for free on the Royal Highland Show website,” he said.

And Mr Currie added that not only would the show be beamed across the globe, but it would also be transmitted across the showground on giant screens throughout the four days.

But while the show also revealed the development of a new ‘phone app to help guide visitors around the event, the majority of farming visitors will remain focused on who wins the show’s 280 silver trophies, collectively valued at £2 million.

The trophies are presented to the winners in the livestock sections and there will be no shortage of competition with a total of 4,866 cattle, sheep and horses taking part in the event.