Between the 19th and 22nd June, the Royal Highland Show (RHS) returned to Ingleston, bringing together over 210,000 people in a celebration of rural and island life. The RHS is 202 years old and one of the most important events in Scotland’s rural calendar.

⭐It is a family-friendly showcase of rural and island businesses and industries.

⭐It is a marketplace for rural produce and services.

⭐It is a platform for every politician and policy maker from the Scottish Government and the UK Government to meet with rural and island interest groups.

BUT….it is dominated by the agriculture, forestry, fisheries, food & drink and energy sectors – sectors which tend to define ‘rural’ in decision makers’ minds.

…until recently….

Led by organisations like Scottish Rural Action, InspirAlba, Community Enterprise, SRITC, SCOTO and the Scottish Community Alliance, a radical revolution is taking place designed to shake up the institutional foundations of the RHS…and it is everything our organisations stand for – empowerment, vision, inclusivity, creativity, diversity and drive.

Agriculture, forestry, fisheries, energy generation and food & drink are core to our rural and island areas…but like everything, they rely on COMMUNITIES, and we are putting COMMUNITY at the heart of the RHS.

Supported by Scottish Rural Network and the Scottish Government, we are creating a vibrant space for a host of partner organisations – the Aberdeenshire Youth Forum; Ceidlith Caleerie; Climate Café®; Fife Youth Local Action Group; Forth Environment Link; Forth Valley and Lomond Youth Local Action Group; Greenpower; GrowBiz Scotland; Imagine If… Space CIC; Open Aye; Scottish Islands Federation; Scottish Men’s Sheds Association; Sealladh Folk Band; Social Enterprise Scotland, the Walking Theatre Company, and Youth Scotland.

Please consider joining next year! In the meantime, our 2025 RHS blog can be found here