Arisaig Highland Games has announced three significant new events for their games to be held at Traigh Farm on July 27th 2011.

The first is a continuation of the partnership and sponsorship deal with The Glenlivet, which this year is £1750.  Chas MacDonald, Promotions Manager with Arisaig Games was delighted with the confirmation of the deal saying, ‘this is fantastic news as it helps us to maintain the strength of piping at the Games. Last year’s competition was much invigorated with new competitors due to the help we received from The Glenlivet, and it will be great to see that continue.We are really grateful toThe Glenlivet, as keeping a games like this afloat is not always the easiest of jobs, and their generosity will help significantly.

The second announcement was about a new art competition with the games’ partner, the London ‘Boisdale’ Group of restaurants, which has been brought into being by Ranald Macdonald, Younger of Clanranald, eldest son of the current chief and Managing Director of the group.  The Boisdale Prize is a competition for young people and adults in four distinct age categories: 0-10, 11-13, 14-17; 18+ and has a total prize fund of £435 spread across the age ranges. The themes for entries for 2011 are, for the young people’s sections: ‘Lochaber: The Past in the Present’, and for adults: ‘Arisaig Highland Games: An Impression’.  Welcoming the new initiative, Arisaig Games Secretary, Allan Mac Donald, was very upbeat about the significance of the new competition. “This represents a real move forward for us in strengthening our Games and its place in the community. It also adds to our growing cultural element which is significant as it helps us maintain the core parts of piping, dancing, and heavy and field events.” More information on the event and entry can be found on the Arisaig Highland Games website, and Facebook page.

The third event is something of a local coup for Arisaig Games. The cultural events are being strengthened into an overall strand called Pas de Bas, or Sidestep. Many things will operate under this banner including the An Tilleadh event announcedlast year. This year’s An Tilleadh will see the launch of a new book by local historian ElizabethMacDonald on the history of the Church of Scotland in Arisaig in its bicentenary year. MrsMac Donald will talk about the history of the church, and sign copies of the book which will be available to buy. There will also be a feature on Glenuig piper, Allan MacDonald’s, second collection of pipe tunes, “The Moidart Collection II: An Dara Ceud”. This collection features a Schottishe written by Allan for none other than Arisaig Games husband and wife team, the aforementioned Allan and Elizabeth Mac Donald.  No confirmation has been received as yet as to whether Allan and Elizabeth have consented to perform the dance to their own tune which was commissioned for their ruby wedding anniversary! After a pretty successful games last year, both were keen to point out that everybody is welcome at Traigh to enjoy a good day out, and even to get involved in some of the events if they wish.