Press release -
Countdown to Bannockburn Live
As event organisers descend on the Battle of Bannockburn site to begin the ‘build’ of the Bannockburn Live festival, VisitScotland and Unique Events have today unveiled the full running order for the once in a lifetime event on 28-29 June.
Split into five distinct areas: Land of Food and Drink, Storyville, Clan and Family Village, Music Arena and 1314 Encampment, the nine hour programme, from 10am – 7pm each day encompasses a packed schedule of activity from live music and spectacular battle performances, to panel discussions and children’s puppet shows.
Highlights of the Bannockburn Live programme include headline performances by award-winning singer-songwriters Dougie Maclean and Julie Fowlis, readings by well-known Scottish authors, ‘intensely realistic’ battle performances and tempting food and drink. Other interesting and eclectic experiences during the weekend will include:
- The very best in contemporary and traditional music featuring Karine Polwart, Bella Hardy and Roddy Woomble
- Scotland’s hottest new music talents: Roddy Hart and the Lonesome Fire, Rachel Sermanni, Siobhan Wilson and Rura
- The chance to meet real life Hollywood battle actors, Clanranald, who will be choreographing the epic battle performance, who have worked with movie stars Russell Crowe and Natalie Portman in films such as Gladiator, Thor 2 and Robin Hood
- Opportunity to trace your clan and family roots. Discover if you’re related to Henry VIII or Henry from down the road at a special interactive genealogy centre in the Clan and Family Village
- Travelling in time back to 1314. Stand in the middle of the battlefield and soak up the sounds and smells as battle preparations are being made.
- Catching a glimpse of Robert the Bruce – a Scottish legend.
- Discovering how bees are responsible for a third of the food we eat. There’ll be interesting and informative food talks and demonstrations throughout each day.
- Finding your great summer read. Waterstones will have a stall in Storyville and there will be talks from leading authors such as James Robertson and Alistair Moffat.
- The sounds of Disney. Brave fans will be keen to see Julie Fowlis whose songs "Touch the Sky" and "Into the Open Air" were sung in the off-screen musical thoughts of the lead character Merida
- The chance to parade the tartan fashion catwalk. Meet be 40 clans and discover as many different tartans within the Clan and Family Village
- Designing a crown. Little knights and wee fair maids can make headwear fit for a king or queen
- Extraordinary sausages. Visitors can try a sticky toffee or a banana and madras sausage as well as a host of Scottish food and drink at Bannockburn Live in the Land of Food and Drink
Caroline Packman, Homecoming Director said:
“With just over a week to go until this amazing weekend of events in Stirling, the teams for Pipefest, Armed Forces Day National Event and Bannockburn Live are working feverishly to ensure it will be an experience to remember for the thousands of people planned to descend on the city over three days.
“We are thrilled with the Bannockburn Live programme and looking forward to this fantastic event to mark 700 years since the legendary battle.”
From Friday 27 – Sunday 29 June, all eyes will be on Stirling as it hosts a spectacular weekend of events including Pipefest (27 June), the Armed Forces Day National Event (28 June) and Bannockburn Live (28-29 June). The weekend provides an un-missable showcase of 700 years of history, pride in our armed forces, and will create a significant tourism boost to the city and surrounding area in 2014, the year of Homecoming Scotland.
Bannockburn Live, organised by VisitScotland and Unique Events, is expected to welcome up to 20,000 people over the weekend of 28-29 June with a feast of music, battle performances, food and drink and family entertainment planned from 10am – 7pm. Tickets are available at www.bannockburnlive.com (Adults (14yrs+) £20; Children (5-13yrs) £12.50; Family ticket £55.00; Children under 5 years go free).
Due to capacity, the new Battle of Bannockburn visitor centre (opened in March 2014) will only be open to King’s Ticket Holders during the Bannockburn Live event.
A media ‘preview’ of Bannockburn Live will take place on Friday 27 June at the Bannockburn battlefield site in Stirling, details will be released regarding this media call including timings on Thursday 19 June 2014.
Media accreditation is still available for Bannockburn Live. Please visit:
www.bannockburnlive.com/press-media
For more information contact:
Kate Turnbull, Corporate Press Manager 0131 472 2324 / 07854 401040
Topics
- Entertainment
Categories
- corporate communications
- homecoming 2014
Regions
- Scotland
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.
- For VisitScotland’s press releases go to http://www.visitscotland.org/media_centre.aspx, tourism statistics and frequently asked questions go to http://www.visitscotland.org/
- 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
