The Blas Festival, which had such a successful inaugural year in with more than thirty different events in four Highland areas, will eventually have an impact thorough the whole of the region. This year the Festival takes a major step towards fulfilling that objective through the inclusion of Badenoch & Strathspey and Nairn as areas in which events are staged. They join Lochaber, Skye & Lochalsh, Ross-shire, Caithness and Sutherland, areas which benefited from a range of exciting Blas events in the festival’s first year.

As a result of this geographical extension of the Festival. Nairn will stage concerts featuring such talent as the Blazin’ Fiddles, Mike McGoldrick and local stars, Mike and Aly Vass. Badenoch & Strathspey hosts an all too rare appearance of the much lauded Capercaillie group and welcomes the exciting Cape Breton combine, Beòlach.

Widening the Blas Festival area makes great sense according to the chairman of the organising committee, David Boag. “In their different ways Nairn and Badenoch & Strathspey have solid traditional backgrounds and we will make sure that this is reflected to some extent at least in the programme arranged for them. There is also a big enough population base in both areas to make for potentially large turn-outs at the concerts and they might a be able to draw in audiences from other population centres nearby. It was always our intention to ‘spread’ the impact of Blas and with our inclusion of these two areas we are clearly going in the right direction. It should also be said that it is difficult to conceive of a traditional music festival in the Highlands which does not include a district called Strathspey.”

For their part, promoters in both Nairn and Badenoch & Strathspey are delighted that Blas has been able to include their areas. Sandra Robertson, for example, representing Kingussie Arts Network who are promoting the Beòlach event. “We're delighted that Badenoch & Strathspey are involved with this years Blas festival. Although we're not one of the typical thriving areas for Highland musical events, we're confident that our audiences will turn out to support the Blas concerts – we can't wait!

Blas’ s plans for future years will see further ‘spread’ of the festival’s effect and eventually the whole Highland area will be involved. Over an above these geographical developments, the Festival itself has expanded and this year there will be one-third more events than last year. A total of 43 events have been scheduled and tickets are already going fast will people taking advantage of the highly attractive ‘earlybird’ offer which gives substantial discounts until the end of June on full-price tickets. Also Blas enhanced the availability of ticket by instituting a telephone/credit card booking system.

Gaelic version

Bi buaidh aig fèis Bhlas, leis an do shoirbhich cho math na chiad bliadhna an uiridh, air a’ Ghàidhealtachd air fad. Am bliadhna, tha an fhèis a’ gabhail ceum mòr gus sin a choilionadh le a bhith a’ gabhail a-steach Bàideanach ‘s Srath Spè, cho math ri Inbir Naruinn. Thai ad sin a’ dol còmhla ri Loch Abair, an t-Eilean Sgitheanach ‘s Loch Aillse, Siorrachd Rois, Gallaibh agus Cataibh mar sgìrean a th’air buannachdan fhaighinn bho a bhi ag gabhail pàirt ann am Blas a’ chiad bliadhna.

Tha seo a’ ciallachadh gu bheil raon na fèise air leudachadh agus gum bi Inbhir Narann a’ faicinn leithid Blazin’ Fiddles, Mike McGoldrick agus muinntir an àite fhèin, Mike agus Aly Vass. Gheibh muinntir Bhàideanaich ‘s Srath Spè cothrom Capercaillie fhaicinn agus na h-òganaich a Ceap Bhreatuinn, Beòlach.

Tha a bhith a’ leudachadh mòr-raon Blas eagallach ciallach a-rèir cathraiche na comataidh rianachd, Daibhidh Boag. “Nan dòighean eadar-dhealaichte, tha eachdraidh aig Inbhir Narann, agus aig Bàideanach agus Srath Spè, a ni cinnteach gun tèid sin a nochdadh anns na prògraman a thèid an cur air dòigh dhaibh. Tha, cuideachd, gu leòr a shluagh anns gach àite, a leigeas le mòran dhaoine tighinn chun na concartan, agus daoine a thàladh bho àiteachain eile faisg orra. Bha e riamh san amharc againn, Blas a leudachadh a-mach agus leis an dà sgìre ùr sin, tha sinn air an t-slighe cheart. Tha e cho math a radha gu bheil e doirbh smaoineachadh air fèis thràidiseanta air Ghaidhealtachd anns nach eil an t-ainm “Strathspey!”

Tha muinntir na fèise san dà àite sin uamhasach toilichte gu bheil iad fo sgèith Blas am bliadhna. Tha Sandra Robasdan, le cìnnt, agus ise a’ riochdachadh Lìonraidh Ealain Cheann Ghiuthais ann a bhi a’ cuir air dòigh concert Bheòlach. “Tha sinn nar boill gu bheil Bàideanach agus Srath Spè mar phàirt de fhèis Blas na bliadhna seo”, thuirt i. “Ged nach eil sinn air fear dhe na h-àiteachain àbhaisteach far a bheil ceòl tràidiseanta tur beothail, tha sinn dòchasach gun dèan ar luchd-èisteachd gàirdeachas ris”.

Tha rùintean Blas airson na bliadhnaichean a tha roimhinn a’ dol a dh’fhaicinn buaidh na fèise a’ sgaoileadh chun na Gàidhealtachd air fad. Am bliadhna, bi trian a bharrachd thacharstan ann na bh’ann an uiridh. Tha còrr agus dà fhichead cèilidh gu bhi ann agus, mu thràth, tha na tiocaidean a’ reic gu luath, le mòran dhaoine ag gabhail cothroim air na tiocaidean air a bheil ‘earlybird’, far a bheil iad mòran nas saoire ma thèid an ceannach ro dheireadh na h-Og-Mhios. Cuideachd, mheudaich Blas cothroman ceannach thiocaidean le leigeil le daoine an ceannach le cairt creideas air an eadar-lion.