Crowds gathered at Moy Country Fair this year

Moy Country Fair took place on Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd August 2024 at Moy Estate and hosted a huge range of activities, performances and exhibitors, ensuring the event was family friendly while still honouring its roots in field sports.

This year’s Fair also had a strong focus on the work of the RNLI, which is celebrating it’s 200th anniversary in 2024. The charity saw volunteers from a number of local Lifeboat Stations, including Invergordon, Loch Ness and Kessock, coming along to meet visitors.

The volunteers hosted a special Lifejacket Clinic offering advice to the public on how to maintain and safety check lifejackets before use.

Visitors also experienced their ‘float to live’ water safety demonstrations, met the RNLI’s very own mascot, Stormy Stan, and were able to pick up limited-edition RNLI souvenirs during the event.

As a non-profit event, Moy Country Fair looks to support a number of charitable causes each year. As well as the RNLI, multiple other charities were in attendance during the two days including Adopt A Child, Gamekeepers Welfare Trust, Therapet, Lyme Disease UK, SCAA, Veteran’s Foundation, Unique Fundraising – Breast Cancer, Blythswood Care, Highland Hospice, Macmillan Cancer Support, St John Scotland and Maggie’s Highland.

The presentation of the first ever SGA Wild Salmon Conservation Award took place during the Fair. The SGA Fishing Group launched the inaugural award to recognise actions being taken to conserve endangered wild salmon in Scotland.

The Allt Lorgy River Restoration Project and biologist Bob Kindness’ acclaimed stock restoration programme on the River Carron were honoured in a joint ceremony on Friday where the elegant award was presented for the first time by MSP Fergus Ewing.

Over the course of the weekend, visitors enjoyed traditional main ring activities including Highland dancing, gundog handling and fishing demonstrations, the pet parade and much-enjoyed terrier racing. The ever-popular range of field sports were also back and well attended, from clay pigeon and musket shooting to the fly-fishing challenge.

There was also the Junior MacNab Challenge for younger field-sports enthusiasts to participate in. Hosted by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), the popular event invites children to participate in clay pigeon shooting, air rifle shooting and fly-fishing challenge.

Beyond the traditional events the Fair is renowned for, Moy saw the return of axe-throwing and archery from A.C.E Target Sports and BMX stunts and tricks from Savage Skills which, yet again, were hugely popular with visitors.

The Highland Food and Drink Trail, featuring nine street food vendors from the local area alongside live music acts throughout each day, provided foodies with lots of choice. The Food Tent and Cookery Theatre was a busy spot, where visitors were taken on a journey into Scotland’s Larder, celebrating the very best produce from the local area. Cookery Presenter, AGA Specialist, Masterchef Contestant and Recipe Writer, Na Hansell hosted daily cookery demonstrations, supported by local company, Bonk & Co.

James Campbell, Chairman of the Moy Country Fair Committee, said:

“Every year, it is such a pleasure to welcome so many people of all ages to Moy Estate to come together and experience all the Moy Country Fair has to offer. It has been particularly special supporting the RNLI in their 200th year and all the incredible work they do to highlight the importance of water safety.

“We’d like to thank everyone who came along for what has been a fantastic two days, from the visitors to the exhibitors, performers and competitors.”

Picture Credit: JT LensCraft Photography

SGA Wild Salmon Conservation Award winner image (Left to right): Fergus Ewing, MSP Inverness and Nairn, Shaun Macdonald, River Carron Conservation Association, Roger Knight, CEO of the Spey Catchment Initiative, Hugh Hynd, SGA Fishing Group