Highland heritage marches into Paeroa for Games

The Hamilton Caledonian Pipe Band at a previous Paeroa Highland Games, the only Kiwi gathering with an evening tattoo. Photo by Richard Hornell.

One of New Zealand's most cherished Scottish events marches into Paeroa early next month.

The massive, 12-hour Scottish extravaganza Paeroa Highland Games and Tattoo, in its 27th year, returns on February 8.

Clans of Highland heritage descend upon Paeroa as the games and tattoo is one of just seven Scottish gatherings in the country — and the only one in New Zealand to hold an evening tattoo.

Committee president Basil Morrison, formerly Hauraki District Council mayor, says the Highland games is ''the whole deal''.

''It's everything from the little kids doing Highland dancing, to tossing the caber, the marching competition, chopping, through to the tattoo in the evening.''

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Basil says the tattoo will make the ''hair stand up on the back of your neck''.

''It's so moving when the bands march altogether — 10 bands — and take the salute. Then there's the lone piper playing on the castle...''

''If you have any Scottish ancestry you turn up — or if you have a family, you're there as well. It's an event with a Scottish theme obviously, but it's also great family entertainment.''

Twenty-seven years ago the event started as a small pipe bands competition, which grew over the years. At its most popular, 8000 people attended in 2013 and 2015.

Basil puts the event's success on volunteers. Various individuals organise each segment.

''So volunteers make this happen. We start planning the week after the event — there's an awful lot to be done — we have to liaise with Highland games people across the country.

''I suppose we would have 80-100 people involved on the day from Lions clubs manning the gates and Rotary helping, Paeroa College providing runners and all the individuals... there is a lot of moving parts.''

On offer will be classic Scottish events such as Highland dancing, heavyweight field events, pipe band contest, axemens' carnival, Celtic singers, mace flourishing, Bay Silver Pans (the Auckland Police Band), solo piping and drumming, fire performers, junior Highland games with local primary schools taking part, and Tartan in the Park for the kids.

There's also rides and other children's entertainment.

There will be a stage with performers from 11am-4pm, stilt walkers, clowns and Steampunk The Thames will be roaming.

Night time will be the evening tattoo. This two and a half hour evening variety spectacular under a castle is based on the Edinburgh Tattoo in Scotland.

The tattoo consists of two massed band displays featuring 250 pipers and drummers and the lone piper.

Special guests are Saltire Duo, Brendan Dugan, The Topp Twins and Highly Flammable.

The Event
What: Paeroa Highland Games and Tattoo
Where: Paeroa Domain
When: February 8, 9am-9pm

Previous mayor John Tregidga will be chieftain of the games.