Press release -
Blas Festival to showcase a wealth of International talent
Blas 2014, the tenth anniversary festival from 5 to 13 September, will have a significant international element in this Year of Homecoming.
Blas was created 10 years ago as a result of The Highland Council’s desire to create a festival that would match the vitality of Cape Breton’s Celtic Colours and the Council has continued its support.
International visitors to Blas 2014 will include the renowned Cape Breton fiddler, Howie MacDonald with piano player Marilyn Mackinnon. Howie is one of Cape Breton’s best-known musicians having been a member of The Rankin Family.
Cherish the Ladies will also be appearing, about whom the Boston Goble have said: “it is simply impossible to imagine an audience that wouldn't enjoy what they do."
They have toured all over North and South America, the United Kingdom and Europe, China, Australia and New Zealand performing in the finest concert halls and at international festivals. This will be their third visit to Blas having proved to be one of the most popular bands to appear at the festival.
As part of Highland Homecoming, this year’s Blas Festival will welcome some of the world’s strongest athletes who will be attending the Scottish Masters championship at the Northern Meeting Park.
A special ‘Welcome Home’ show – Do bheatha dhan dùthaich – takes place at Eden Court on Thursday 11 September with a magnificent line-up of musicians with top bands Mànran and Macanta as well as piping father and son Angus MacColl Sr and Jr setting the tunes for the Cheryl Heggie Dancers.
Also maintaining their international links with Blas 2014 are the wandering minstrels of Cuairt nam Bàrd with Fèisean nan Gàidheal and Comhdhàil Nàisiunta na Gaeilge bringing together poets and musicians to celebrate the shared Gàidhlig/Gaeilge culture of Scotland and Ireland.
The majority of Blas events this year offer an added bonus with the presence of locally produced food and drink at most venues giving audiences a taste, not only of Highland culture, but Highland food and drink. A number of venues will have an enhanced food and drink offering, Feuch Blas (Try a Taste).
Highland Homecoming has received financial assistance from EventScotland and the Scotland’s Food and Drink Initiative.
The collaboration with Blas has been welcomed by Tourism Minister Fergus Ewing.
He said: “Homecoming Scotland 2014 is the opportunity for Scotland’s communities to celebrate all that is great about our country and to place the spotlight on our greatest assets and icons.
“I am delighted that the 10th Blas Festival has been included within the Highland Homecoming programme which is taking place during September and October. The use of locally produced food at many of the events will help to build momentum towards the Year of Scotland’s Food & Drink in 2015, which will inspire the people of Scotland and visitors alike to celebrate Scotland’s outstanding natural larder and further develop Scotland’s reputation as a Land of Food & Drink.”
Details of the food and drink events, and the rest of the Blas programme, are available locally and through the festival website www.blas-festival.com.
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- homecoming 2014
Regions
- Scotland
*This release is also available in Gaelic on request. For more information please contact Hugh Dan MacLennan at hughdan1@hotmail.co.uk
Notes to Editors:
- Follow us on twitter: @visitscotnews
- VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.
- The organisation has three key roles:
- To market Scotland to all parts of the world to attract visitors
- To provide information – and inspiration – to visitors and potential visitors so they get the best out of a visit to Scotland
- To provide quality assurance to visitors and quality advice to the industry and partners to help the industry meet and strive to exceed customer expectations
- VisitScotland works together with tourism businesses to make tourism a success for everyone and ensure the industry continues to grow.
- The organisation employs 700 people and has offices and VisitScotland Information Centres across Scotland.
- 2014 is the year Scotland welcomes the world, when it hosts the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles and more than 800 Homecoming events throughout the country.For more information on Homecoming Scotland 2014, go to www.visitscotland.com
- The VisitScotland Information Centre network is a unique face-to-face channel engaging with around five million visitors and locals each year. Everyone who uses a VisitScotland Information Centre goes on to spend an additional £5.35, generating over £24 million for Scotland’s economy.
- According to a recent Deloitte study, tourism employs 270,000 people in Scotland in 20,000 diverse businesses. The same study calculates that the industry contributes £11 billion annually (direct and indirect impact, including day visits) and supports around 10 per cent of employment in Scotland. Almost 16 million tourists take overnight trips to Scotland.
- Where possible, a Gaelic speaker will be made available for broadcast interviews on request (Far an tèid iarraidh, agus far am bheil sin nar comas, bruidhinnidh neach le Gàidhlig aig agallamh)
- For holiday information on Scotland go to www.visitscotland.com
- For information about business tourism in Scotland go to www.conventionscotland.com
- For more information on VisitScotland’s annual review please go to www.visitscotland.org/about_us/our_focus/annual_report.aspx
