Record-breaking turnout for Enchanted Forest 2017

Organisers of the awardwinning Enchanted Forest sound and light show are celebrating another recordbreaking year.

More than 73,000 visitors attended this year’s event, which closed on Sunday night. The figures represent a 4% increase on last year’s total.

The three official charities – Tayside Mountain Rescue, Alzheimer Scotland and social enterprise café Giraffe – have each received £2,500. The money was raised during a dedicated charity night.

This year’s theme, Oir an Uisge (Gaelic for Edge of the Water) won global acclaim, with international visitors one of the fastest growing audience segments.

International visitors jumped from around 0.97% of audience share in 2014 to 2.72% in 2017, and with more than 75% saying their main reason for travelling to Scotland was to see the Enchanted Forest, they represented more than 15 different countries.

It is estimated that the Enchanted Forest’s impact on the local economy is around £3 million each year.

Ian Sim, chairman of the Enchanted Forest Community Trust, which operates the event, said: “Once again the trust has been completely blown away by the response to the event.

“We’re delighted it has smashed yet another of its own box office records.

“This is very much an event run by the community of Highland Perthshire and the team behind it are really exceptional, from the creative team who devise the concept, our new show producer Zoe Squair and brilliant operations team and to the stewards who stand out in the woods night after night.”