Around 175,000 visitors attend the four-day annual trade show for those involved in the farming, food, and countryside sectors. Huge numbers of different classes of pigs, cows, horses, and other livestock are on parade as well as farm machinery and locally grown produce. There's also a broad range of events for the lay person, with culinary demos in the Food Hall being one of the big draws.
The displays of rural skills and sports, such as fly fishing, the ever-popular dog displays, falconry, horse showjumping, and terrier racing are added attractions. The trade shows include home-grown fashion items made of cashmere, tweed and tartan and rugged outdoor wear.
For those enthusiasts and others who might have difficulty in telling apart one breed from another, the livestock displays and the Grand Parade at the Royal Highland Show are the big attraction. It’s an opportunity to get up close to hundreds of cattle, sheep and horses. The animals come in all shapes and sizes from tiny bantam hens to impressive teams of giant Clydesdales in full harness.
For the younger visitor – under sixteens are admitted free in the company of an adult - there's the Children's Discovery Centre, run by the Royal Highland Education Trust, which has hands on activities from grinding flour to cooking and milking a cow (not a live one).
Among other attractions, in the Countryside Area, you can watch the handling skills of the gundog trainers as their spaniels and Labradors flush and retrieve. There are also demonstrations of traditional rural crafts such as fly-tying, wood turning, bee-keeping, saddle-making, gun dogs, wheelwrighting, willow weaving, bagpipe-making and wildlife photography.
The Forestry Arena includes lumberjack displays including pole climbers, BMX displays, axe throwing and feats with chainsaws.
There's a large variety of Scottish artisan food and drink on offer to sample and buy at Scotland's Larder and food-to-go stands around the showground, selling various home-grown fare from venison burgers to Scottish strawberries.
Every night in 2026, there's a Show Dance for over-18s where attendees can meet other Show-goers in a relaxed setting and let their hair down. The event is organised with The Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (SAYFC).
Replacing the Highland Hoolie in 2026 is The Reeling on the Saturday night, featuring a line-up of Scottish trad luminaries - Breabach, Dlù, Dougie MacLean, Elephant Sessions, Kinnaris Q, and Skipinnish.
The RHASS
The Society was established in 1784 to promote the trade, agriculture, poetry, language and music of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.
The first Show was held in Canongate in the Old Town in 1822. Today, the Society is principally known for the Royal Highland Show although its activities also include making awards and grants, and promoting aspects of rural life in Scotland including agriculture, horticulture and forestry. The Royal Highland Education Trust fulfils this role through links with Scottish primary schools.
Royal Highland Show 2026 Tickets
Tickets should be bought online in advance.
Early Bird adult tickets on each of the four days in 2026 are £45 on Thursday and Sunday and £50 on Friday and Saturday.
The Farming Flexi is a little more but allows you to go on either Thursday or Friday.
Children under sixteen go free if accompanied by an adult (max three per adult).
Paid car parking is available. Buses and trams also run to the Highland Centre.
Separate tickets are required for The Reeling, Show Dance, and car parking.