|
The Highland Council benefits from a huge number of festivals– not far short of a hundred at the last count. The range of what goes on within them is tremendously varied – everything from the Northern Nashville Country Music festival up in Caithness to the top notch traditional music promoted by Blas to the annual step dance inspired festival down in Badenoch. What they generally have in common is great community support – most are highlights on the community calendar, engaging the full cross section of the community from the youngest to the oldest residents. As such, they play a crucial part in sustaining often quite rural communities as quality places to live and work. Visitors very much enjoy them to, with many planning visits to the Highlands around festivals and events. In that way, festivals also make an important contribution to local economies. Judi Menabney, Principal Cultural Officer, Highland Council INVERNESS MUSIC FESTIVALWhen: 20 Feb - 11 Mar 2006 Inverness Music Festival is a competitive festival covering speech, voice, dance and instrumental. All officials are unpaid bolunteers, except adjudicators and official accompanists. Performers pay an entry fee or perform for free at our concerts. Winners' showcase concerts on 10 & 11 March 2006. SKYE WORLD MUSIC FESTIVALWhen: Fri 14 - Sun 16 April 2006 Musicians from around the world are heading to this cosy venue in Skye, for some intimate nights of music and film. STRATHSPEY IN MAYWhen: May 2006 TBC Sixth year of a festival which brings traditional music to the capital fo Strathspey. ULLAPOOL BOOK FESTIVALWhen: May (5-7 May 2006) Book festival featuring fiction, non-fiction, poetry (English and Gaelic). Readings, lecture, workshops. Great writers in a great setting. |
|
LOCH SHIEL SPRING FESTIVALWhen: Second week in May every year. Chamber music festival. A week-long series of concerts and workshops in innovative venues featuring artists of international acclaim. CARRBRIDGE LIVEWhen: 20-24 September 2006 A showcase festival providing an eclectic combination of traditional music, spectacular street canrival and jazz.The programme also includes music workshops, a gudied walk and mountain bike tour to places of local historical interest as well as a golf competition and shinty tournament.
STRATHSPÉ AWAYWhen: 10-12 November 2006 Strathspé Away - Dannsa has for the past three years organised this dance festival which has in its short history established itself as a unique event in the community as well as in the Scottish dance calendar. Dannsa will host the weekend in Kingussie (Dannsa’s base) and commence with an evening opening ceilidh dance with ‘The Occassionals’. Saturday and Sunday will allow people to attend classes in Step-dance, Ballroom dancing, Ceilidh dance, Country dance,Irish Set dance,fiddle, Gaelic mouth music and mouth organ. 'First Harvest' and 'dannsa' will perform on the Saturday evening. Throughout the weekend, participants can attend lunchtime performances and follow-up classes. All weekend there will be dance videos shown. There will also be an art exhibition run by Highland Council exhibited in one of our venues over the dance weekend. |
|
DAY OF DANCEWhen: Sat 3 June 2006 The 10th Day of Dance in Inverness will allow participants of all ages and sizes to try out a fantastic range of dances and have a lot of fun in the process. ISLE OF SKYE ACCORDION & FIDDLE FESTIVALWhen: 25 - 27 May 2006 An exceptional weekend of traditional Scottish music and dance. |
|
 CAITHNESS ARTS WEEKWhen: 16-24 September 2006 Lots of events will be taking place across the County with organisations and individuals both professional and amateur getting involved. All art sectors will be represented including drama, applied art, dance, new writing, music, visual arts, crafts and film. Programmes are available throughout the County and from the website. CAITHNESS MUSIC FESTIVALWhen: 5-9 June 2006 An annual festival of music (vocal and instrument) and speech (including Caithness dialect). Mostly for schoolchildren, but including adults. |
|
 EDINBANE FESTIVALWhen: 1st weekend in July Community/family event to promote local muscians and introduce new influences, at the funky end of traditional. Has a large youth involvement and introduces other performing art forms such as parades, circus acts and fire shows. SKYE FESTIVAL / FÈIS AN EILEINWhen: Tue 25 July - Fri 4 Aug 2006 (same period each year) The small festival with the big programme and a lively Gaelic touch. 11 days and over 50 events with traditional music, jazz, theatre, film and a book festival, alongside ceilidhs, workshops, walks and cafes. Line-up so far includes Alasdair Fraser, Natalie Hass, Julie Fowlis, Genticorum, Dr Angus Macdonald, Filska, and many, many others.
|
|
NAIRN INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVALWhen: 6 - 13 August 2006 (provisional) An outstanding line-up, including some of the greatest names in jazz. |
|
 BELLADRUM TARTAN HEART FESTIVALWhen: 11-12 Aug 2006 The Highlands premier festival of music and performing arts; now in its third year, Belladrum features an ecelectic range of music - rock,country, folk, celtic,indie and world - across three stages over two days; it's a family-friendly festival - children 12 & under come free - and besides the music, there is theatre, street theatre, dance and penty more; weekend tickets £60; Saturday tickets £40. Available from February via the web site and selected outlets. MALLAIG MUSIC FESTIVAL
|
|
BLASWhen: 1 - 9 September 2006 Blas is an exciting new festival for the Highlands, which will have Gaelic at its heart, and will feature the cream of young Highland talent, alongside the best known professional traditional musicians from this country and overseas. |
|
DRAMS IN THE FIELDWhen: 8-9 September 2006 Drams in the field promises a lively weekend of music and festivities. goHIWhen: 8 - 9 September 2006
|
|
LOOPALLUWhen: 22-23 September 2006 Two days of jumping around in a big tent to some mighty fine bands, all set around the amazing Highland backdrop of Ullapool on the shores of Loch Broom. CHRISTMAS STREET FESTIVALWhen: 7th, 8th ( 6-9pm) & 9th (12-6pm) December 2006 In it's second year, this community Christmas Festival attracts people from all over the Highlands. Fort William High Street is alive with Christmas Festivities including Reindeer processions, nativity parades, Craft and Food Stalls, Carol Singing, Street Music and Theatre, Santa's Grotto, Christmas lights and decorations, Hot Roasted Chestnuts and more. |
|