Leading international music event the Hebridean Celtic Festival, staged annually in the Outer Hebrides, has won a nomination for 'Event of the Year' in the BBC's Scots Trad Music Awards, one of the most prestigious awards in the Scottish music industry.

Caroline MacLennan, Festival Director, said: "It is exciting to have won this nomination which reflects well on the festival, our sponsors and supporters, our volunteers and of course, those come to watch the show we put on each year.

"We are in the process of planning for our tenth anniversary in 2005 so this recognition comes as an added bonus in what is a unique year for the festival.  We are grateful to be included and hope that our large numbers of supporters will now give us their vote."

The festival has three big contenders in the Celtic Connections Festival and Piping Hot, both based in Glasgow; and the Shetland Accordion and Fiddle Festival.

Voting, to be decided by public ballot on the Internet, is open till the 26th November. This can be accessed at either www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/musicscotland/celticroots/ or
www.handsupfortrad.co.uk

Iain Hamilton, Senior Creative Industries Manager with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, said: "The Hebridean Celtic Festival is a model of excellence for other such events to study. It's inclusion in a top category for such prestigious awards is no more than it deserves."

So it's up to you, if you consider the Festival worthy of this award, log on and vote now.