The Board of Cowal Highland Gathering has taken the difficult decision to cancel this year’s event, as a result of the ongoing Coronavirus situation.
Whilst we understand the decision is disappointing we feel it is the right one to protect the safety of the competitors, visitors and officials who travel from around the world to Cowal, as well as protecting the integrity of the various championships that are held over the weekend, including the World Highland Dancing Championships.
All tickets purchased for 2020 will automatically transfer to the 2021 Cowal Highland Gathering which will take place on the 26th, 27th and 28th August.
We look forward to welcoming you back to Cowal in 2021, in the meantime please stay safe and well and look after each other.
Full release is available in the news page.
Competitors
Highland Dancing
© Photo by Ken Clark
Competitors » Highland Dancing
Highland dancing
Cowal Highland Gathering is host to the Scottish and World Highland Dancing Championships – the most important events in the highland dancing calendar. As a competitor you’ll be pitched against the finest dancers and perform in front of what’s possibly the most discerning dancing audience anywhere in the world. Are you aiming for the Cowal Gold Medal?
The dancing gets underway on Thursday with the Scottish Championships and the Qualifiers for the World Highland Dancing Championships which includes dancers from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Friday is the new home of the Scottish National Championships. And on Saturday it’s the finals of the World Championship.
We also hold competitions to encourage local, emerging highland dancing talent. If you’re a younger dancer at the start of your career, it’s a great opportunity to experience this great event and dance in front of the experts.
The dancing gets underway on Thursday with the Scottish Championships and the Qualifiers for the World Highland Dancing Championships which includes dancers from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Friday is the new home of the Scottish National Championships. And on Saturday it’s the finals of the World Championship.
We also hold competitions to encourage local, emerging highland dancing talent. If you’re a younger dancer at the start of your career, it’s a great opportunity to experience this great event and dance in front of the experts.
The dancing competitions at the Cowal Gathering kick off on the Thursday of the event with the Scottish Championships and the qualifiers for the World Highland Dancing Championships. Dancers from Canada, The United States, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa travel to Cowal to compete for the ultimate prize in the dancing calendar.
The Friday is the new home of the Scottish National Championships.This event is open to premier class dancers from throughout Scotland. As such it attracts the very best of our own home grown dancers to compete.
The finals of the World Highland Dancing Championships take place on the Saturday afternoon and see the 60 top dancers from across the world compete to be crowned World Champion.
The Saturday is also host to two local (confined) competitions including one which is specifically for the youngest dancers just setting out on their dancing career.
Please note: The exact 2021 timings and platforms will be confirmed after the draw has been performed in July.
However as much as possible we will be working towards the running order below.
Below is the provisional running order for this year’s highland dancing championships held at Cowal.
The timings and platforms for the different age groups are provisional at this time and may have to be changed depending on final entries.
THURSDAY 26th AUGUST 2021
Scottish Championships & World Qualifiers
AM Session - 8.30am start
Event 8 (7/9 years) East Platforms
Event 9 (9 years) East Platforms
Event 10 (10 years) East Platforms
Event 11 (11 years) East Platforms
Event 55(Junior World Qualifiers) Main Platforms
Event 56 (Adult World Qualifiers) Main Platforms
PM Session -1.30pm start (approx)
Event 12 (12 years) East Platforms
Event 13 (13 years) East Platforms
Event 14 (14 years) Main Platforms
Event 15 (15 years) Main Platforms
FRIDAY 27TH AUGUST 2021
Scottish National Championships
AM session - 8.30am start
Event J (17 years) Main Platforms
Event K (18 years) Main Platforms
Event A&B (8 & 9 years) East Platforms
Event C (10 years) East Platforms
Event D (11 years)East Platforms
PM Session - 1.00pm start (approx)
Event E (12 years) East Platforms
Event F (13 years) East Platforms
Event G (14 years) East Platforms
Events H & I (15 years & 16 years) Main Platforms
SATURDAY 28th AUGUST 2021
Main Platforms
(Argyllshire Championships)
Please Note the change to categories
8.45am Start
Event 51 for Premier dancers aged 7yrs and under 12yrs, resident in Argyll and Bute.
Event 51a - for Premier dancers aged 12yrs and 13yrs, resident in Argyll and Bute
Event 52 - for Premier dancers aged 14yrs and 15yrs, resident in Argyll and Bute
Event 53 - for premier dancers aged 16yrs and over, resident in Argyll and Bute.
Pre-Premier Competitions East Platforms - 10.30 am start
Please note that all pre-premier competitions will begin at 10.30 am.
Registration for all pre-premier competitons will start at 10am.
Please note that this year the Pre-Premier competitions will take place on the East Platforms again. This means it will be possible to purchase seats in the East stand to watch the Pre-Premier competition.
The East stand on the Saturday will be sold as an all day ticket.
12.15pm
World Highland Dancing Championships Finals Main Platforms
4.45pm
World Championships Trophy Presentations
5.30pm
March Past led by World Champions
However as much as possible we will be working towards the running order below.
Below is the provisional running order for this year’s highland dancing championships held at Cowal.
The timings and platforms for the different age groups are provisional at this time and may have to be changed depending on final entries.
THURSDAY 26th AUGUST 2021
Scottish Championships & World Qualifiers
AM Session - 8.30am start
Event 8 (7/9 years) East Platforms
Event 9 (9 years) East Platforms
Event 10 (10 years) East Platforms
Event 11 (11 years) East Platforms
Event 55(Junior World Qualifiers) Main Platforms
Event 56 (Adult World Qualifiers) Main Platforms
PM Session -1.30pm start (approx)
Event 12 (12 years) East Platforms
Event 13 (13 years) East Platforms
Event 14 (14 years) Main Platforms
Event 15 (15 years) Main Platforms
FRIDAY 27TH AUGUST 2021
Scottish National Championships
AM session - 8.30am start
Event J (17 years) Main Platforms
Event K (18 years) Main Platforms
Event A&B (8 & 9 years) East Platforms
Event C (10 years) East Platforms
Event D (11 years)East Platforms
PM Session - 1.00pm start (approx)
Event E (12 years) East Platforms
Event F (13 years) East Platforms
Event G (14 years) East Platforms
Events H & I (15 years & 16 years) Main Platforms
SATURDAY 28th AUGUST 2021
Main Platforms
(Argyllshire Championships)
Please Note the change to categories
8.45am Start
Event 51 for Premier dancers aged 7yrs and under 12yrs, resident in Argyll and Bute.
Event 51a - for Premier dancers aged 12yrs and 13yrs, resident in Argyll and Bute
Event 52 - for Premier dancers aged 14yrs and 15yrs, resident in Argyll and Bute
Event 53 - for premier dancers aged 16yrs and over, resident in Argyll and Bute.
Pre-Premier Competitions East Platforms - 10.30 am start
Please note that all pre-premier competitions will begin at 10.30 am.
Registration for all pre-premier competitons will start at 10am.
Please note that this year the Pre-Premier competitions will take place on the East Platforms again. This means it will be possible to purchase seats in the East stand to watch the Pre-Premier competition.
The East stand on the Saturday will be sold as an all day ticket.
12.15pm
World Highland Dancing Championships Finals Main Platforms
4.45pm
World Championships Trophy Presentations
5.30pm
March Past led by World Champions
No Information is available at present.
The 2020 Highland Dancing Judging Panel will be announced here shortly.
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