Cowalfest 2005
Item Posted: Wednesday 28th March , 2007
Cowalfest 2005
Numerous articles were published in both national and local papers, as well as there music press about the festival – here is just a short selection of excerpts:
SEE COWAL AT ITS BEST WITH COWALFEST
Cowalfest is now Scotland’s largest walking festival, with more than 80 guided walks from the easy to the strenuous. There is certainly no excuse for even the most couch potatoes amongst us not to get involved! Guided walks with local rangers, historians and naturalists are an ideal way of exploring the area for residents and visitors alike. The organizers are finding that many of the walks are booking up fast, and they are busy adding still more into the programme.
In only three years it has become a major community event and attracts in an increasingly high number of tourists thanks to the organizers efforts at roadshows in London, Edinburgh and in Ireland.
The festival is not just about walking. You can take your pick from cycling, history and heritage, music arts, crafts and drama. There is genuinely something for everyone.A neat cross over between walking and the arts is being instigated this year with the transformation of Dunoon into Scotland’s Art Town for the 10 days. A Window Gallery will span 60 shops each displaying cutting edge art and guided walks by artists and specialists. It is the brain child of two local artists, Don McNeil and Jean Bell. The idea is to bring art to the public and make it accessible to everyone. They feel that a large number of the public are put off by galleries and find them inhibiting and are, therefore, deprived of appreciating art. This gallery idea breaks down these barriers by bringing art to the public by way of showing it in shop windows. The ‘Window Shoppers Gallery’ will bring new and innovative work to Cowal and to make it accessible to everyone. 60 shops in the town will host a painting in their window for the week - the commercial heart of Dunoon will become one hugh public gallery.The Arts programme includes a quality craft fair at the Argyll Hotel, displays of patchwork and quilting; displays of traditional woven objects used in the past in our communities; plays based on the 16th century Glenmason manuscript; demonstrations of exciting art uses of recycled materials, and you can even join in the creation of a large mural painting. Wherever possible the programme is all based on joining in not just looking.
This year there is also an increased number of musical events. An evening of Traditional Scottish Music at the restored Smiddy Museum; you can join in with your instruments and voice at a Bothy night; dance to the leading ceilidh band Canned Haggis; dress up and sing along at an Old Tyme Music Hall evening; or go to concerts with leading musicians from Scotland, the US and Germany that will be held in Strone and Strachur – and Strachur will even be hosting a Celtic Feast, proving to all that Scottish food is not limited to Haggis and chips and Chicken Tikka Masala!
Although the majority of walks in the festival are free, prior booking is essential as numbers participating are limited to ensure a quality experience. Whatever you do, do find out about the full range of walks and events. Programme. A detailed walking programme and a special arts programme are available from the Tourist Information Centre, Alexandra Parade, Dunoon, Argyll, PA23 8AB.Tel: 08707 200629.
Email - info@dunoon.visitscotland.com.
The public response to the concerts was overwhelming. Included here are just a few of the emails and letters received:
Just a short email to say what a wonderful concert in Strachur on Saturday evening, we felt very privileged to be able to watch Jamie and his fellow musicians.
It was a truly unique and refreshing experience to watch such a gifted natural performer. Our son Alasdair took part in the fiddle workshop. He is 13 and was truly mesmerised by the performance at the concert in the evening.
We are originally from Strachur and have family there, but travelled especially from Dumfries and Galloway to see them all. We look forward to listening to the Cd when we get it. An unforgettable experience.
Fiona, Duncan and Alasdair MacKinnon, Dumfries and Galloway
Many congratulations on organising this weekend's splendid events.
I'm writing just to say that the folk in the row behind us came from Mannheim to hear Donald Black -not for the Cowalfest as a whole, or to visit Scotland. I'm sure that they were not the only ones to come to this country only to hear him.
Donald Black's technique is extraordinary: he does some things that are very difficult to do on the mouth organ, and you couldn't tell unless you tried them for yourself. His passionate intensity and stage presence are also very attractive….
Jamie Laval has a rare purity of tone and mastery of the music. His powers of enchantment make him a star, and (he gives) a supernatural impression.
Thank you for a superb concert. David and Evie Campbell
THANK YOU for organising such a wonderful evening- it is AMAZING to have local access to such musicians Cathie Montgomery, Smiddy Museum
I chatted to a lot of people at your sell-out concert at Strachur. A surprising number were from overseas - including Alaska, Australia, USA, Germany. One lady had come from Denmark, specifically to see and hear Jamie Laval – but decided to stay and do some walking as well.
Everyone I talked to thought that Cowalfest was outstanding, and that having a range of other events such as your traditional music concerts added enormously to their overall enjoyment of the festival. The increased variety of events must be good for tourism and local businesses - as well, of course, as being a great benefit to the local communities. Anne Rendall, Dundee