“Ruby Jubilee — Celebrating Our Past, Looking to the Future” is the theme for this year’s Highland Fling.

The 39th annual celebration will also be a celebration of the city’s 40th anniversary. The “Ruby Jubilee” celebration will feature some traditional activities and some special, in honor of the city’s 40th year.

A 40th anniversary dinner and celebration will be held on at 6 p.m. Aug. 4 at Alpine Country Club, 5000 W. Alpine County Club Lane, in Highland. Seats should be reserved by July 10 at www.highlandcity.org. Tickets are $25 per person or $250 for a table of 10. The dinner will feature live entertainment.

Another special event to honor the 40th anniversary will occur during the parade at 10 a.m. on Aug. 5. All of the mayors who have served in Highland are expected to be honored on a float. Current mayor Mark Thompson is the ninth mayor.

“We really want to honor all of our mayors,” said Julie Tapusoa, civic events coordinator.

Historical displays about the city’s past will be available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 6 at the Highland Community Center, 5378 W. 10400 North. Historic farm equipment and other artifacts will be displayed to educate the public about the city’s history.

Something new this year is the Box Arcade, which is for elementary-age children. Participants will build arcade games out of cardboard boxes. There will be an arcade set up with the games at the Splash Pad Park by Highland City Hall, 5400 W. Civic Center Dr. on Aug. 2. Judging and play will begin at 6:30 p.m.

The Box Arcade is part of Kids Night at the Splash Pad Park, where there will be free activities for kids, including a bike race and foam sword battles. Kids can also cool off at the splash pad.

Some of the most popular events every year are the Strongman Competition and Highland Games. Athletes will be testing their strength in the Strongman Competition at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 4. The Utah State Hammer Championship and Highland Games will begin at 8 a.m. Aug. 5. Both events will take place at Heritage Park, 10400 N. Alpine Highway. There is no cost to attend the competition and games.

According to Tapusoa, the Strongman Competition and Highland Games always draw a crowd.

“These are events that are unique about the Highland Fling,” she said. Traditionally, some of the events held at the games are the pole push, sword hold, caber toss, atlas stones and tug of war.

Along with the competition and games, many other activities will be happening at Heritage Park on Aug. 5. Some of these are a Lone Peak Drill Team Pancake Breakfast, vendor booths, live entertainment and kids’ games.

Although Highland has only officially been a city for 40 years, people have lived there much longer than that.

“Highland has always been Highland,” said Thompson, whose parents moved to the area in 1943. Many settled the area for the good grazing and water coming down from the canyon.

“Even before it was ‘Highland,’ almost everyone referred to it as ‘Highland,'” he said.

For more information about the Highland Fling and for a full schedule of events, check out the city’s website at www.highlandcity.org.