HEBCELT HOPING FOR FINAL SAY IN TOURISM AWARDS
News release
Hebridean Celtic Festival
Year of Homecoming 2014
- HebCelt a finalist in Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards
- Festival shortlisted for fresh honour after another successful year
- Acclaimed event has major impact on islands
The internationally acclaimed Hebridean Celtic Festival is in line for another accolade after being named as a finalist in the Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards.
The four-day festival, which was held from 16-19 July in Stornoway, has been shortlisted in the Best Event or Festival section of the awards. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in Inverness on 7 November.
Each section winner will automatically become a finalist at the Scottish Thistle Awards 2015, along with the front-runners from the North East, Central South East and Central South West regional heats.
HebCelt, which will mark its 20th anniversary next year, has a major economic and cultural impact on Lewis and the wider islands community. It is a passionate supporter of the Gaelic language and of young, emerging talent as well as traditional music.
This year’s festival staged its biggest ever programme of 40 acts, headlined by Big Country, Levellers and Donnie Munro. A huge influx of music fans from overseas made up half the estimated 14,000-strong audience which provided a major economic boost for the islands.
The figure was close to last year’s record-breaking attendance and almost 17 per cent up on 2012.
Caroline Maclennan, the festival director, said: “Being named as a finalist in the Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards is another major achievement in what has been a very successful year.
“Recognition of this nature is a fitting reward for the all the hard work done by an army of volunteers who help ensure HebCelt continues to grow and thrive.”
The festival also showed again it is one of the greenest events in the world by improving its recycling record and minimising the amount of waste going to landfill.
Earlier this year HebCelt was selected as one of the top 10 UK summer festivals for the fourth year in succession by influential publication Songlines.
NOTES TO EDITORS
In 2013 HebCelt was hailed as one of the greenest festivals in the world after being the only Scottish event to receive an Outstanding award from environmental campaign group A Greener Festival. In addition, it was shortlisted in the Greener Festival category in the UK Festival Awards and in the Best Independent Festival category in the AIM Independent Music Awards.
In 2011 it was ranked Best Large Festival at the industry-sponsored Scottish Event Awards and it won Best Event of the Year award at the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards in 2004 and 2009.
For more information contact
John Ross
Lucid PR
01463 724593; 07730 099617
johnross@lucidmessages.com
Tags:
