Article Source: Caledonia Festival
Last Updated: 24 November 2021 14:18
A winter festival celebrating the arts, comedy, music and Scotland’s heritage is coming to Stirling.
The Caledonia Festival, showcasing a wide range of grassroots and emerging talent, takes place next Tuesday November 30 – St Andrew’s Day.
Viewers from all over the world can tune into the virtual section of the hybrid event while some tickets are still available for the live comedy show being held at the city’s Made in Stirling creative hub.
The inaugural Festival has been organised by Stirling-based social enterprise Ceangail who plan to run a winter event each year to support the creative arts and showcase their talents to a global audience.
Ceangail’s Director Matt McGrandles said: “We are trying to establish key events for Stirling and have had enormous success in running the city’s Highland Games.
“Our aim with the Caledonia Festival is to create an annual St Andrew’s Day event that kickstarts the Winter Festival scene in Scotland by working with and showcasing some amazing grassroots and emerging creative talents.
“We have a fantastic opportunity here to celebrate Scotland’s national day and make St Andrew’s Day as big a celebration as St Patrick’s Day.
“I hope as many people as possible will tune into our virtual event which features a range of brilliant performances and a reflective short film about what makes Scotland great and why we should celebrate St Andrews Day even more!”
The Festival also offers Ceangail the opportunity to focus on its social enterprise aim of providing practical learning experiences for young people and Mr McGrandles has been working with a group of students from Wallace High School.
The teenagers have benefited from learning filming, media and organisational skills during the run up to the Caledonia Festival and will be involved in a ‘behind the scenes’ project on the day of the event.
Tickets for both the free virtual event and the live comedy programme can be ordered via the Caledonia Festival website - https://www.caledoniafest.scot/tickets/
The online show runs from midday until 5pm and features a line-up of artists, including bagpiper Ross Miller and singer/songwriter Emma Dunlop, plus performances from Dunblane theatre group Rubber Chicken.
The Caledonia Festival will be hosted by popular TV and radio presenters Fat Brestovca and Kathryn Wilson.
The pair will also present a short film `Scotland: Myths, Legends and Stories’ which they made during a whirlwind tour of some of Scotland’s iconic locations including Loch Ness and Edinburgh Castle.
Fat Brestovca said: “I’m thrilled to be part of the Caledonia Festival on St Andrew’s Day and it is an honour to be hosting some of Scotland's brightest music talent and performers.
“What an amazing opportunity to give some grassroots artists a platform to showcase their talent and I can’t wait to hear them.”
Meanwhile the live comedy night, at Made in Stirling on King Street, features four comedians and runs from 7pm with tickets costing £15.
Stand-up comedian and satirist Vladimir McTavish, the 2019 winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Scottish Comedy Awards, will be headlining the show.
The evening’s line-up includes actor and comedian Raymond Mearns, who will also be taking on the role of compere, and regular BBC Radio comedy show panellist Stuart Mitchell.
The audience will also be entertained by Jay Lafferty, an experienced writer and performer sought after for her on-point satirical views, who has been performing comedy across the UK and further afield since 2005.
The 2021 Caledonia Festival is being funded by Event Scotland as part of their Winter Festival campaign.
For more details on the Caledonia Festival and to book tickets, visit www.caledoniafest.scot/
Image: TV and radio presenters Fat Brestovca and Kathryn Wilson.
The Stirling Highland Games has proudly announced a new three-year partnership with one of Scotland’s most iconic brewing brands, Innis & Gunn.
READ MOREThis summer, gather the whole family and head to Dobbies Garden Centres for a day of fun-filled activities that will keep costs down.
READ MORESummerfest, the FREE family festival at Loch Lomond Shores, is back on the 5th and 6th of July with lots of things to see and do!
READ MOREThe biggest show of its kind in Scotland returns with Earlybird tickets and a give-away with headline sponsor Border Caravans!
READ MORECheck out July at Dobbies with it's Little Seedlings Club on rainforests and Grow How on pest control and healthy gardens!
READ MOREHistoric Environment Scotland is calling for people across the country to connect with heritage to boost their wellbeing as a part of a national campaign, Historic Places, Breathing Spaces.
READ MOREScotland's hospitality industry and customers have spoken, and the Scottish Bar and Pub Awards 2025 has listened!
READ MORERefugee Festival Scotland gets underway today, kick-starting nine days of dance performances, film screenings, visual art and photography exhibitions and community events across the country.
READ MORETickets are on sale for an exclusive Superman screening at Vue venues in Scotland, with fans in for an extra special treat to take home.
READ MOREThe paperback edition of Only Here, Only Now by Tom Newlands has just been released - and is already making waves.
READ MORETo mark Bike Week UK, people across Stirling are being encouraged to take part in a new survey that will help shape active travel in the area and support the shift to sustainable modes of transport.
READ MOREPollinator-friendly plants, funded and organised by Go Forth Stirling BID have added a welcome splash of colour across Stirling city centre.
READ MOREScottish Building Society marked its Annual General Meeting (AGM) by announcing funding to support eight local charities and good causes across the country.
READ MOREVisitors are invited to come along and get up-close to some amazing cars, set against the beautiful backdrop of Loch Lomond, as part of a great day out.
READ MOREBark by popular demand, the Gordon Setter Parade returns on Saturday 5th July as part of the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) Scottish Game Fair, held at the stunning Scone Palace.
READ MOREDobbies Garden Centres are inviting families across the UK along to its stores on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th of June to spend a magical afternoon filled with fun activities and good food.
READ MOREStirling’s rich history and heritage was celebrated at its annual Walking of the Marches, which dates back to at least the 12th century, on Saturday (31 May).
READ MOREPeople will have the opportunity to shape a future transport system for Stirling that is fair, clean and affordable with the launch of a new consultation.
READ MORECineworld is launching a brand new 4DX Father's Day gift experience, containing two 4DX tickets and ponchos, perfect for experiencing the new live-action "How to Train Your Dragon" film.
READ MOREDobbies Garden Centres is hosting a free Rose-themed Grow How workshop this June, sharing top tips for caring for this beloved flowering plant.
READ MORETeams of runners have the chance to race through Scotland’s most historic battlefields and stunning landscapes during an exciting new event - the William Wallace Running Festival.
READ MOREScotland's longest-running hospitality awards turn 30 - and they want you to have your say!
READ MORELoch Lomond Unplugged, our FREE showcase of talented buskers and singer/songwriters, is this weekend and we’re super excited to welcome great acts from across Scotland and beyond!
READ MORERestored memorial to be unveiled in Stirling's old town cemetery to mark the 250th anniversary of the American War of Independence.
READ MOREDobbies Garden Centres is inviting children to come along to its free-to-attend Little Seedlings Club, taking place across the country this June.
READ MOREAldi Scotland is on the hunt for the nation's biggest beer lover, as it revamps its popular Best Home Bar Competition by expanding the criteria.
READ MORERefugee Festival Scotland has officially unveiled the programme for its highly anticipated 2025 edition, running from 13 – 22 June.
READ MOREFilm fans, families and comic book enthusiasts are invited to rediscover the original big screen superhero team as a series of classic X-Men films return to the big screen at Vue this month.
READ MOREFamilies can take advantage of Loganair's new Kids Fly Fare-FREE offer, allowing children aged 11 and under to travel without paying an airfare.
READ MOREA drop-in event to attract new foster carers is being hosted by Stirling Council at the Raploch Campus on Friday, May 16th.
READ MORE