Snowdrop festival fun
Event just gets better and better
The fourth Coupar Angus Snowdrop Festival has been hailed a great success by organisers with hundreds of people attending a variety of snowdrop-themed events in the town.
The festival, which was organised by the Town Team - a community partnership of local businesses, volunteers, groups, churches and the primary school took place over the weekend with more events planned for this weekend.
Pictured is Abigail MacDonald (10) from Coupar Angus with the personalised Snowdrop Festival cards she printed with Quarto Press at the Abbey Church Spring Fair on Saturday.
The fourth Coupar Angus Snowdrop Festival has been hailed a great success by organisers with a good turnout of people attending a variety of snowdrop-themed events in the town.
The festival, which was organised by the Town Team - a community partnership of local businesses, volunteers, groups, churches and the primary school - got underway on Thursday last week with the snowdrop lecture which this year featured two speakers.
Terrill Dobson, of Scotland’s Gardens, talked about how the national Scottish Snowdrop Festival has developed over the past few years, and Catharina Dessain from Lawton House near Arbroath discussed the Georgian House’s woodland garden of beech trees – which is carpeted with snowdrops and crocuses in spring.
Over the weekend, a range of activities and events highlighting the area’s spectacular snowdrops took place in the town under the umbrella of the popular festival.
Part of the national Snowdrop Festival – which features snowdrop displays in more than 50 locations around Scotland – the Coupar Angus Snowdrop Festival is understood to be the only snowdrop-themed community event in the country.
And as well as the popular snowdrop walks in and around the town, the festival also saw the return of events such as the annual snowdrop bingo tea run by Coupar Angus Primary School’s parent council group, the Abbey Church Spring Fair, the themed window display competition - which this year was won by Robertson and Black Property Shop - and an exhibition at the Potting Shed Studio by mixed media artist Roz Arno-Button.
Coupar Angus Pride of Place organised a number of events as part of the festival. As well as their fundraising ceilidh to be held this Friday, March 3, the award-winning volunteer group also held a quiz at the Red House Hotel on Saturday and ran a snowdrop tea shop in the Y Hall on Union Street in the town.
The Coupar Angus Garden Club held a flower show and sale in the St Anne’s Church over the weekend highlighting spring bulbs, plants and flowers and featuring Kate Gregory from Moyness Garden Centre who gave a demonstration of floral art and flower arranging on Saturday afternoon.
John Palfreyman from the Town Team was delighted with the success of the event. He said: “It has been another great festival and I think one of the biggest things for us this year was the number of people from outwith the local area who have come here to experience all the events and activities that have been organised.
“It is really good to see that we can attract people to the town from Perth and Dundee.
“Thanks must go to everyone for their support, the whole town has rallied behind the festival and the many events that have taken place under its auspices once again.”
David Carson from development trust Forward Coupar Angus added: “It’s great for the town and is bringing people to Coupar Angus who would never have come here otherwise but are attracted here for the snowdrops and the breadth of activities on offer. “It’s second to none.” Rev Andy Graham enjoyed his first Snowdrop Festival this year. He said: “It is a great event for the town and it is nice to see all the different groups coming together to organise it all.
“There is a wonderful community spirit here and all the events on in the town this weekend, which are all for the benefit of the local community as well as visitors to the town, are just fantastic.
“A lot of time and energy has gone into this and it is wonderful to see so many happy and smiling faces.”
Speaking to the Blairie at the snowdrop lecture, Terrill Dobson said: “I had heard of the Coupar Angus Snowdrop Festival and was delighted to be asked to be here.
“The snowdrops are looking fabulous, and its a great time of year to have an event that people can look forward to and enjoy.”
Catharina Dessain added: “It was a privilege and a delight to be invited to speak at the Coupar Angus Snowdrop Festival this year. It is a great event for the town.”
Local crafters at the High Street Store at the Cross in the town ran free introductory workshops on spinning, Viking wire knitting and painting on slate over the weekend, supported by Scotmid who supplied the materials for the sessions.
Continuing the arts theme, Glenisla-based artist Frances Law exhibited items that she found as part of her Coupar Burn project last year.
The project caught the attention of the education officer and curators at Perth Museum and Art Gallery who invited Frances to show her display this summer alongside treasures which have been found in the River Tay.
Frances said: “It was good to have the opportunity to show the local community what has been found in the burn and to hear people’s thoughts and comments on the various items.
“It has been great fun identifying some of the objects and seeing people’s reactions when they spot something they recognise, and it has been really useful in terms of helping prepare for the exhibition in Perth in May.”
The community garden group in Coupar Angus was also involved in the Snowdrop Festival this year, offering revitalising and rejuvenating activities.
On Saturday morning, members of the group had a stall outside the High Street Store where they were offering people a chance to sample healthy snacks, shakes and smoothies as well as short, free massages and treatments.
Sharon Dismore from the community garden said: “It was a wonderful if blustery beginning to spring but we still managed to celebrate the snowdrops in Coupar Angus.”
There was also a gentle meditation walk from the shop to the community garden where there was a short introduction to meditation with experienced practitioner Madelaine Thorley.
The exhibition at the Potting Shed Studio also featured a large snowdrop made from willow, snowdrops and other spring flowers created by garden designer Helen Carmichael.
Artist Roz Arno-Button said: “It has been fantastic, with visitors all weekend, and it has been nice to have Helen on board this year. It is nice to have something different every year for people to come and see.
“It is great to be part of the festival again, there is a real buzz in the community every year and its getting better and better every time.”
•See pages 18 and 19 for more photos from the festival.