Festival Attractions and Champion Contract for Cowal Highland Gathering

News Release 02.07.09

Visitors to Cowal Highland Gathering (CHG), one of the world’s biggest and most spectacular Highland Games events, will be in for a surprise this year as a new festival programme has been introduced. The new look festival includes the soon to be launched, redesigned festival website, new food arena, a children’s entertainment tent, an extended ceilidh tent with new acts and an enlarged patrons tent overlooking the main event arena.

The food arena will showcase the very best in Argyll’s home grown foods with festival favourites Food From Argyll, a collaboration of high quality food producers from the west coast of Scotland, running the fort across the three days.

Saturday sees live music in a new extended ceilidh tent, sponsored by McArthur Property Group, from bag rock sensation the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, with thanks to Stewart Shaw Ltd and Argyll Holidays, returning for a second year after a memorable performance in 2008. Highland favourites “Skerryvore” have also been confirmed for the popular tent. The band will end their Scottish summer tour at their first ever CHG gig. Several local ceilidh bands will join the impressive line up of traditional Scots music performers.

Punch & Judy, face painters, clowns, magician shows and balloon twisters will entertain little ones in the brand new Children’s Tent, sponsored by Inveraray Jail, on Saturday and all shows are free with admission.

To add to the event’s excitement, CHG has also secured a three year contract with the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA). The contract gives the event the rights to continue to hold and award their world acclaimed Cowal Pipe Band Championships.

700 highland dancers and 3000 pipers competing to win world acclaimed, championship titles and the brutal heavy athletics, sponsored by Corona Extra, and wrestling competitions are watched by 15 to 20,000 people every year, proving popular as a spectators event. The event comes to a spine tingling climax on the final evening (Saturday) when the tradition of 3000 pipes and drums play in unison to salute the chieftan, followed by a march leading the masses through the town of Dunoon, with spectacular fireworks, sponsored by Western Ferries, at the town’s pier closing the event.

Cowal Highland Gathering 2009 takes place at Dunoon Stadium, Argyll from Thursday 27th to Saturday 29th August, 9am to 6pm each day. Perfect for a day out, Dunoon is just one hour from Glasgow and easily accessible from the M8 and via the Western or Cal Mac ferries. Children’s tickets are just £1 (Thursday & Friday) and £2 (Saturday).

For tickets and more information visit the website at www.cowalgathering.com or telephone 01369 703 206.

…ends….

For more information please contact:

Pauline Foster
PR Manager
Pure Shores PR
+ 44 (0) 1631 569 651
+ 44 (0) 7791573247
pauline@pureshorespr.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

Festival Programme Details:

• Thursday: Highland Dancing; Classic Cars; Owl Display & the 5km Race
• Friday: Highland Dancing; Solo Piping; Heavy Athletics; School Athletics
• Saturday: Highland Dancing; Pipe Band Championship; Heavy Athletics, Wrestling; Ceilidh Tent; Children’s Entertainment Tent; Phoenix Flames Cheerleading squad; March Past & Fireworks
• All three days: Food Arena with Food from Argyll and licensed bar.
• Ticket prices: Thurs - £4 Adult/£1 Child; Fri - £6 Adult/£1 Child; Sat - £10 in advance or £14 on the day Adult /£2 Child

Festival Sponsors:

McArthur Property Group, Cowal Building and Plumbing Supplies, Loch Lomond Home and Garden Centres, Stewart Mcnee (Dunoon) Ltd, Argyll Holidays, Inveraray Jail, Corona Extra, Western Ferries, UKA, BATD, SDTA, Argyll and Bute Council.

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