WIREDGOV

The Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop has announced recently (Friday 26 September) an award of £315,000 to be granted to events across Scotland as part of the 2014/15 Scotland’s Winter Festivals programme.

Scotland’s Winter Festivals events run across St Andrew’s Day, Christmas, Hogmanay and Burns Night in a celebration of Scottish culture and creativity, spread across the country.

The funding will be awarded to 16 events in total, comprising seven St Andrew’s Day events, five regional Hogmanay events and four Burns celebrations.

Across the country, these events will welcome locals and tourists to celebrate with them this winter – from the Highlands to Dumfries and Galloway.

St Andrew’s Day will kick-start this winter’s festive season with major city centre events in Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as regional celebrations in East Lothian, Oban, St Andrews and Perth. Storytelling, music and traditional Scottish food and drink, at festivities across the country, this St Andrew’s Day has something for everyone to enjoy.

Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, said: “Scotland’s Winter Festivals comprise a dynamic events programme, spanning the significant national dates of St Andrew’s Day, Christmas, Hogmanay and Burns Night.

“The Scottish Government is delighted to deliver this funding which enables EventScotland to showcase the best of Scottish music, arts, food and drink, innovation and entertainment to a wide audience.

“We are a country renowned for our warm hospitality and in 2013 alone, almost 15 million overnight stays were spent in Scotland. St Andrew's Day, Christmas, Hogmanay and Burns Night offer great opportunities for visitors and residents alike to celebrate our rich culture and distinctive heritage here, while our special dates are also marked around the world.”

www.scotland.org/winter

Scotland’s Winter Festivals

1. Scots and Scots at heart, both at home and abroad come together to celebrate Scotland’s unique heritage and distinctive culture through Scotland’s Winter Festivals - St Andrew’s Day, Christmas, Hogmanay and Burns celebrations.
2. Scotland is very much open for business in the winter months and there’s a lot happening to celebrate St Andrew’s Day, Christmas, Hogmanay and Burns Night.
3. A vibrant winter event programme brings together people from all over the world to celebrate Scotland’s modern culture and traditions through the best of Scottish music, arts, food and drink, innovation and entertainment.
4. Scotland is a year round destination for visitors, welcoming over 15 million people to our shores. St Andrew’s Day, Christmas, Hogmanay and Burns Night offer another reason to come and celebrate either with us here in Scotland or around the world.

EventScotland will be supporting the following events through funding received from the Scottish Government:

• Oban Winter Festival, 21 - 30 November 2014

Ballet, markets, reindeer, music and fairgrounds! With a new focus around St Andrew’s Day, Oban will celebrate with a ‘Tartan Day’ in town. New for 2014, Haggisfest will feature seven butchers and haggis makers from across Argyll going head to head – try haggis hurling and join the Tartan Dash! The festival will also feature a Scottish food and craft market in the old distillery.

• The Saltire, East Lothian, 26 – 30 November 2014

East Lothian presents a 6 day festival of exciting events celebrating its place as Home of the Flag. Events will include; ‘Feast ‘n’ Folk’, great music and the best of Scottish food and drink in some of the area’s top bars and restaurants; concerts from leading Scottish artists, a foodies paradise at Haddington Farmers’ Market; a special themed race day at Musselburgh Racecourse and The Saltire concert with performances of traditional and modern music and literature.

• St Andrew’s Day Celebrations in St Andrews, 28 – 30 November 2014

Where better to celebrate Scotland's patron saint than in the town that bears his name? This year historic St Andrews will be hosting three days of events including music, dance, book readings, fine food and drink, lectures and much more. The celebrations will culminate on St Andrew's Day itself with a street concert featuring top Scottish and international artists, followed by an open-air ceilidh for all the family. This year’s event will be produced in association with Previously…Scotland's History Festival and the St Andrews Food and Drink Festival.

• Scottish Storytelling Centre St Andrew’s Day Celebration and Burnsfest, Edinburgh, 29 November 2014 – 26 January 2015

St Andrew’s Day events will include; an enchanting event celebrating Orcadian writer George Mackay Brown in music, song and poetry, ranging over Nordic myths to sagas of the Northmen; Mrs Mash telling the story of Scottish food; and a celebration of the life and music of Belle Stewart. The popular Burnsfest programme features family sessions with fun, new takes on Burns stories, poems and songs.

• St Andrew’s Day Celebrations in Perth, 29 – 30 November 2014

Traditional celebrations in Perth city centre will celebrate our patron Saint; showcasing Perth as a creative city by featuring traditional music, crafts and entertainment over the weekend alongside fabulous local, Scottish produce.

• Glasgow Loves St Andrew’s Day, 30 November 2014

Dance a jig on St Andrew’s Day as part of Glasgow city centre’s spectacular evening celebrations featuring music, dance and a dazzling lighting display.

• St Andrew’s Day in Edinburgh, 30 November 2014

Part of Edinburgh’s Christmas, St Andrew’s Day celebrations in Edinburgh will fittingly take place in St Andrew’s Square. Ceilidh dancing, magical storytelling, curling and skating demonstrations along with live music from a selection of Scotland’s finest musical talents will provide a full day of exciting activities for all the family.

• Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, 30 December 2014 – 1 January 2015

The world’s only New Year Festival returns offering a unique programme of events over three days; from the Torchlight Procession led by the Up Helly Aa’ Vikings to the very best in traditional Scottish music at The Keilidh on the Mound Precinct and a concert from Lily Allen at the Concert in the Gardens – just some of the events on offer in Scotland’s capital. New Year’s Day features even more to do including a journey through Edinburgh’s Old Town in the magical world of SCOT:LANDS, presenting the best in music, art and theatre.

• Stirling’s Hogmanay, 31 December 2014

One of Scotland’s biggest Hogmanay events, Stirling’s Hogmanay features the best of Scottish music and a spectacular fireworks display at Stirling Castle to welcome in the New Year.

• Red Hot Highland Fling, Inverness, 31 December 2014

Join The Red Hot Chilli Pipers, all-female indie-pop band Dorec-a-belle, multi-award winning folk-rock band Skerryvore and host Craig Hill to welcome in the New Year in the Highland capital this year. The family-friendly outdoor concert on the banks of the River Ness is preceded by The Wee Hot Highland Fling Family Festival earlier in the day for the younger members of the family!

• Hogmanay Celebrations in the Honest Toun, Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh, 31 December 2014

Hogmanay in the Honest Toun is the place to be for family Hogmanay, offering an exciting programme of family focused activities including storytelling, a Samba drumming workshop, traditional dancing and lantern making, leading up to a celebratory lantern parade and fireworks display in the early evening.

• Ceilidh Festival, An Lanntair, Stornoway, 31 December 2014 – 2 January 2015

An Lanntair’s Hogmanay Festival will once again feature a special event celebrating and showcasing local artists, featuring a family ceilidh with popular Scottish band Manran. Throughout December, An Lanntair will also be undertaking a series of ceilidh dance workshops in the communities of Lewis and Harris to support the main event.

• Big Burns Supper, 23 – 31 January 2015

A contemporary Burns Night celebration, this unique festival – extended to take place over nine days this year – features multi-disciplinary and grass roots theatre, comedy and arts projects throughout Dumfries as well as interactive and children’s events. The Burns Night Carnival will return to Dumfries in 2015, working with groups to create lanterns that will light up the streets in this dazzling community parade.

• Burns Unbound, National Museum of Rural Life, East Kilbride, 24 – 25 January 2015

Release your inner bard at the National Museum of Rural Life. Everyone is welcome to join this celebration and exploration of all things Burns with music, dancing, food, storytelling and mice! A packed programme for all the family.

• Robert Burns Humanitarian Award, 24 January 2015

This prestigious award - presented annually to an individual or group who has saved, improved or enriched the lives of others or society through personal self-sacrifice, volunteer work or other acts – is handed out at a ceremony to celebrate the top three nominees. Winners receive the equivalent of 1759 guineas, a sum signifying the year of the Bard’s birth.

• Haggis Beasts and Tatties, Eden Court, Inverness 25 January 2015

Eden Court CREATIVE present a Burns’ Night extravaganza ‘Haggis, Beasts and Tatties!’. The Haggis Hoedown, led by scores of dancing haggis and a pipe band, will take place in Falcon Square followed by the procession to Eden Court Theatre for a building full of bite-size performances inspired by the Beasts of Burns’ poetry. The night will close with the Tattie Band at Eden Court’s Grand Burns’ Ceilidh!

EventScotland

EventScotland is working to make Scotland the perfect stage for events. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors.

For further information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news visitwww.EventScotland.org. Follow EventScotland on Twitter @EventScotNews. EventScotland is part of VisitScotland, the national tourism organisation which markets Scotland as a tourism destination across the world, gives support to the tourism industry and brings sustainable tourism growth to Scotland.

SG Communications

SGCommunications@scot.gov.uk