Four events in Stirlingshire are among 21 across the country which are receiving backing from the latest round of awards from the EventScotland National Funding Programme, as part of VisitScotland’s work to deliver the national events strategy Scotland the Perfect Stage.
In total, £47,600 is being awarded to Stirling Highland Games (20 August), Balmaha’s Braw Weekend (1 & 2 October), Cake Fest Scotland (11 September at Cowane’s Hospital, Stirling) and Stirling Fringe Festival presents The Shindig! (9 – 11 September at Stirling Old Town Jail).
Stirling Highland Games is one of Stirling’s leading cultural sporting events, attracting visitors from around the world to enjoy a full programme of traditional Highland games competitions, listen to piping performances, enjoy sampling some of Scotland’s award winning food and drink produce, shop for Scottish gifts at the Traders Village and have a go at mini highland games within the Activities Challenge area.
Balmaha’s Braw Weekend was held for the first time last year. Staged by The Oak Tree Inn, this year’s event will feature two days of live music and family entertainment and food and drink from some of Scotland’s leading suppliers.
Following the success of the 2015 Cake Fest Edinburgh in 2015, Cowane’s Hospital becomes the venue for Cake Fest Scotland as part of the Festival of Architecture, one of the key events of the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design 2016. 100 teams of budding architects will oversee the creation by bakers (professional and non-professional, of all ages) of a spectacular 100 square metre, three-dimensional, fully edible map of Scotland featuring 100 of the country’s iconic buildings.
Stirling Fringe Festival’s The Shindig! is a three day arts extravaganza which will feature live music, street performances, comedy, storytelling, art, cinema, cabaret and much more across three stages. The Old Town Jail, which is the venue, will also feature a beer garden, food zone and impromptu performances.
The four Stirlingshire events and other 17 across 13 of Scotland’s local authority areas are receiving a combined total of £232,700 awarded from Round 32 of the National Funding Programme.
The National Funding Programme – which is administered by EventScotland, a team within VisitScotland’s Events Directorate – was established to enable the strategic development of events taking place outwith Edinburgh and Glasgow, with the aim of driving domestic tourism and increasing economic impact for local communities throughout Scotland. Thanks to the funding, and in keeping with the objectives of the National Funding Programme, the events will now be in a position to further develop by extending and enhancing their programmes in order to increase attendance figures and improve the overall spectator / visitor experience.
Matt McGrandles, Games Organiser of Stirling Highland Games said: “Stirling Highland Games is an extremely popular highlight of the annual events calendar – not only here in Stirlingshire but right across Scotland. It’s an event for all the family, with lots of outstanding entertainment. We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded this EventScotland funding as it will help us ensure that this year’s Games is our biggest and best yet – consolidating our aim to become widely recognised as one of Scotland’s top cultural sporting annual events.”
Liz Buchanan MBE, VisitScotland Regional Partnerships Director, said: “I’m delighted that these four excellent events in Stirlingshire have been selected as funding recipients in the latest round of EventScotland’s National Funding Programme. I’m sure that the financial boost combined with the fantastic programmes each has planned will ensure they are a superb success.
“These funding awards for regional events provide invaluable support by helping them create an even more attractive proposition to attract increased attendance – not only from their local areas but also from much further afield. That promotes the venues as excellent visitor destinations and contributes greatly to the region’s economy – which is hugely important.”
The complete array of diverse events receiving funding through EventScotland National Funding Programme Round 32 is as follows:
- Powerboat P1 Scottish Grand Prix of the Sea, The Esplanade, Greenock : 18 & 19 June
- Stirling Highland Games, Stirling : 20 August
- Groove Loch Ness, Clune Farm, Dores, Inverness: 20 August
- Electric Fields Festival, Drumlanrig Castle Estate, Dumfries & Galloway : 26 & 27 August
- Thunder In The Glens, Aviemore and The Cairngorms : 26 – 29 August
- The Scottish International Airshow, Ayr : 2 & 3 September
- The Heb – Race On the Edge, Uist Island chain, The Hebrides : 3 & 4 September
- Bo’ness Speed Hillclimb, Kinneil Estate, Bo’ness : 3 & 4 September
- Stirling Fringe Festival presents The Shindig!, The Old Town Jail, Stirling : 9 – 11 September
- Commando Spirit – Survive the Yomp, Achnacarry, Spean Bridge : 10 & 11 September
- Super Touring Car Championship, Knockhill, Fife : 10 & 11 September
- Cake Fest Scotland, Cowane’s Hospital, Stirling : 11 September
- Glencoe Skyline, Glencoe Mountain : 16 – 18 September
- The 2016 Camanachd Cup Final, Fort William : 17 September
- Highland Military Tattoo, Fort George, Inverness : 17 & 18 September
- Etape Royale & Royal Deeside Cycling Festival, Ballater, Royal Deeside : 17 & 18 September TBC
- True North, Aberdeen : 23 – 25 September
- Dragon Matrix, Monikie Country Park, Broughty Ferry, Dundee : 5 – 31 October
- Balmaha’s Braw Weekend, Balmaha, Loch Lomond : 1 & 2 October
- Scotland’s Boat Show, Kip Marina, Inverkip : 14 – 16 October
- 33rd European Reversible Ploughing Championships, Saltcoats, Gullane : 19 & 20 October and
- 54th Scottish Ploughing Championships West Fenton, East Berwick : 22 & 23 October