Between 2002 and 2013 some 70 hectares of land was investigated by archaeologists in advance of a proposed residential development on the southern fringes of the town.

[3] The earliest written reference to Forres may be the Οὐάραρ εἴσχυσις (Ouárar eíschysis, 'Varar Estuary') mentioned in the second century Geography of Claudius Ptolemy.

Royal burghs were founded by the Kings of Scots of the 12th century to encourage trade and economic improvement.

[8] William Shakespeare's play Macbeth, first performed in 1606, locates Duncan's castle in Forres, and the Three Witches meet on moorland near the town in the third scene of the drama.

[13] In January 2016, Glasgow School of Art established a campus in the town which focuses on design and innovation.

[15] Sitting between the floodplain of the River Findhorn and the wooded slopes of Cluny and Sanquhar Hills, Forres is well known for its award-winning floral sculptures.

[16] As with the rest of the British Isles and Scotland, Forres experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters.

The nearest official Met Office weather station for which online records are available is Kinloss, about 3 miles (5 km) north east of the town centre.

The service to Grantown-on-Spey was closed in the 1960s and now forms part of The Dava Way, a scenic footpath connecting the two towns.

They are the oldest association football club in the North of Scotland and one of only two original teams to play in the Highland League since its first season in 1893, the other being Clachnacuddin.

[46] Forres hosted the first race of the World Orienteering Championships 2015 on Friday 31 July, when the Sprint Qualification event was held there.