Celebration of the Centuries FAQ’s

In this weekend long celebration, re-enactors will bring the mighty Fort George to life with a living timeline depicting over two thousand years of Scottish history.

General information

The event takes place from 11am to 5pm on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 August 2023.

There will be a full programme of activities throughout the day.

The event starts at 11am and there will be activities and re-enactments throughout the day.

Please refer to the programme to plan your visit so you get to see everything you want. 

The Fort itself is open to visitors from 9.30am (timings are the same on both Saturday and Sunday).

We recommend booking in advance to make sure you aren’t disappointed on the day

If the event needs to be cancelled, due to bad weather or unforeseen circumstances, ticket holders will be contacted via email and automatically refunded. Funds will show within 30 days and you do not need to contact us.

Please check our closures page or our Twitter channel using #HSclosure before travelling to the event.

All tickets purchased are non-refundable as per our ticketing terms and conditions.

Yes, a large part of the event takes place outside. As our lovely Scottish weather is unpredictable, please check the weather forecast in advance and dress appropriately on the day.

Assistance dogs are permitted at Fort George and within the roofed areas.   

Visitors' dogs are allowed at Fort George but are not permitted in roofed areas.  

Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times and not left unattended at any time. Owners must pick up after their dogs. Please note that some parts of the event will be quite noisy due to the shows our re-enactors put on, but there are plenty of quiet spots around the Fort if you wish to keep your dog away from those shows.

Over the weekend the Fort George Café and the NAAFI will be open and hosting a BBQ There will also be an ice cream van. You are also more than welcome to bring along your own picnic. 

Getting to the event

National Grid reference: NH 762 567

Telephone: 01667 460 232

View Fort George on a Google map

Parking is available on-site, and members of staff will be on hand to direct visitors. There are accessible bays available in the carpark and the field adjacent will also form a car park too. If you require assistance please ask one of our staff members

The fort entrance is 200m from the car park along a tarmac path. Entry to the ticket shop is a further 15m over cobbles.

The fort is very large (620m end to end). It is mainly on the level with tarmac roads and pavements.

Wheelchair users may need help to cross areas of granite sets.

Grass and concrete access ramps with a gradient of 1:6 lead up onto the ramparts.

The marquee tent is floored and there is a small lip to go over at the entrance.

If you have any specific questions, please telephone Fort George on 01667 460 232.

Admission and cancellations

Your tickets will be attached in your email confirmation in a PDF document. Please print your tickets and bring them with you or show on your mobile phone to gain entry.

Your email confirmation email should arrive shortly after booking. If you have not received this, please check your junk folder in the first instance. If you have not received this please contact ticketing@hes.scot with details of your booking (name on booking, email address used and site visiting).  

Explorer Pass holders do not get free entry for this event.

We recognise that some visitors require extra assistance and therefore we offer free entry to carers accompanying visitors with disabilities. No ID will be required. Advanced booking is required. Up to 2 carer tickets can be added per booking online.

For any further ticket enquiries, please contact ticketing@hes.scot.

Members

If you are a member, your ticket is free for the event but we recommend booking in advance so you don’t miss out. Please bring along your membership card as you will need to show this to gain entry.

If you have lost your membership cards, please contact the membership team in advance of the event, and they will send you replacement cards and a confirmation email.

Don’t worry if there is not enough time to order your replacement card, there will be a membership team on site at the event who can check the validity of your membership and arrange your access on the day. If you have your membership number this will assist them.

Yes, we offer free entry to carers accompanying visitors with disabilities. No ID will be required. Advanced booking is required. Up to 2 carer tickets can be added per booking online.

If you are an English Heritage, Cadw or Manx Heritage 1st year member, you receive half price entry to the event. English Heritage members of more than one year and life members receive free entry. We recommend booking in advance to avoid missing out and membership cards are required to be shown on arrival with your ticket to gain entry.