This weekend (Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 July) sees the latest highlight of the InvernessFest programme, the Tulloch Inverness Highland Games featuring the World Heavy Events Championships and Strange Fruit!

Strange Fruit is an Australian performing arts company that deliver a stunning performance perched atop four metre high flexible poles.

The troupe’s act is based on the image of a field of wheat moving in the breeze, bending and swaying in the air, captivating and engaging the audience with their aerial choreography that fuses theatre, dance and circus.

With a world-renowned repertoire the company has achieved near-cult status in almost every continent around the world. Performing regularly at festivals and special events their sublime, hypnotic beauty is truly remarkable and must be experienced to appreciate its full effect.

See Strange Fruit at 3pm on both Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 July at the Tulloch Inverness Highland Games at Bught Park.  The Games also feature the World Heavy Events Championships, the first time in over a decade the Championships have been held in their native Scotland.  As well as Highland Dancing, Pipe Bands, a funfair, over 100 stalls, the Golden Lions Parachute display team and a fantastic musical programme featuring performances by Blazin’ Fiddles, Schiehallion, Crazy Feet Band, the Fergie MacDonald Band and many more.

For full details see www.invernesshighlandgames.com

Other highlights of InvernessFest to look out for this weekend are the InvernessFest Fringe and InvernessFest Club in Falcon Square.

InvernessFest Fringe events include the Ironworks Comedy Festival, a Russian Cultural demonstration, a Bhangra Band, Beat in the Park and Rightlines Productions shows ‘The Perfect Spot’ and ‘Illicit’.  And the streets of Inverness will be alive with music.

The InvernessFest Club sees performances from Jim Malcolm, Na h-Oganaich, Dougie McLean, Fred Morrison and friends, Lau and award-winning Julie Fowlis.  With comedians Craig Hill, Janey Godley and Boothby Graffoe and children’s shows Rumplestiltskin at the Fairytale Laundry and Midgie Nation keeping audiences of all ages entertained.

Visit the Highland 2007 website at www.highland2007.com for a full InvernessFest programme.

Ends

Please contact Julie Corbett or Alison Bell at Highland 2007 for more information - 01463 702007or 07766 028899 / 07733 123037

Editor’s notes

InvernessFest is a two week long celebration of traditional and contemporary culture in Inverness taking place between 15 and 29 July. It will blend the most popular aspects of Highland traditions and heritage with events that reflect the modern face of the city of Inverness and its cultural diversity. The main festival programme will be enhanced by a range of Fringe events in venues throughout the city. InvernessFest will include:
14 - 21 July - CITYJAM Music Festival
15 July – Sir Elton John and his Band in concert at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium
15 – 29 July – InvernessFest Fringe
17, 26 and 27 July – Three concerts in Inverness Town House
19 – 23 July - InvernessFest Club in Falcon Square
21 & 22 July – Tulloch Inverness Highland Games featuring the World Highland Games Championships at Bught Park
25 - 28 July – RBS Inverness Highland Tattoo at Fort George
27 July – Salm & Soul
28 July – European Pipe Band Championships at Bught Park
28 July - Summer in the City Youth Festival

The fun doesn’t stop in Inverness – lots of other events are taking place across the Highlands and Islands in July such as The Skye Festival / Feis an Eilein, Highland Games and many others.  The Skye Festival / Fèis an Eilein (13 – 27 July) is Scotland’s biggest small festival.  Over the course of two weeks around 90 events will take place throughout the Isle of Skye and surrounding area.  The festival incorporates traditional music, jazz, theatre, film, walks, workshops and the book festival Aos Dana. For more information and ticket details call 01471 844207 or visit www.skyefestival.com – some tickets also available through the Booth www.thebooth.co.uk.

Highland 2007, the year Scotland celebrates Highland culture, aims to promote the Highlands as a great place to live and to visit through showcasing the unique and special nature of Highland culture past, present and future. The project is a partnership between three principal funding agencies: The Highland Council, the Scottish Executive, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. See www.highland2007.com for full details.

Highland 2007 commercial partners include:
LifeScan Scotland Ltd - Principal Partner
Tulloch Homes Ltd / BBC Scotland / Scottish Co-op - Major Partners
Royal Bank of Scotland/ Clydesdale Bank / Morrison Construction / Bidwells -  Event Partners
Caledonian MacBrayne / First ScotRail / Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd / Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort / Macrae & Dick – In-kind Partners
Fionnar Springs / NBH Holdings / PPD Ltd / EAE Distribution / Inver House Distillers - Suppliers