Big party weekend at Mull Music Festival
Mull Music Festival celebrated its 42nd birthday with back-toback partying – and a wedding.
Jacqui and Jason Flather travelled with 12 family and friends all the way from Stone in Staffordshire to tie the knot at Tobermory’s Mishnish Hotel on the colourful seafront.
Their Just Married caravan was one of many other vans and campers that turned the town’s main car park into camper city over the weekend.
Other festival-goers who filled the town’s pubs and hotels had further to trek or taxi uphill to their campsites, including a group of over-70s from Kishorn on Skye who were staying in a yurt.
All weekend, footstomping bands, including energy-fuelled Heron Valley, lined-up for this year’s Oban Live, whipped up the fun-seeking crowds who could not get enough of the music, with revelling rolling on into the early hours.
For Mull Music Festival stalwart Janice Duffy, it was her 10th time. ‘It’s my favourite weekend of the year. It’s the friendliest place. You make new friends every year and get to see the ones you’ve made here before. I love it!’
Jenny Laurie and pal Jillian Black were sleeping in a tiny tent perched on top of their car, while Ullapool musician Ruairidh Maclean was back at the Tobermory Hotel by poplar demand with his Midi’d accordion, knocking out his own take of hits from the likes of The Levellers to Fleetwood Mac – even a rendition of Duelling Banjos.
‘I played here last year and then they asked me back again,’ said Ruairidh, who added; ‘It’s great to be back.’
Mull and Iona Pipe Band paraded through the town’s main street on Saturday, calling in at all the pubs with a bucket collection raising band funds.
Newly-married Jason Flather, who first came to Mull to dive 10 years ago, said there was no other place he and his bride Jacqui wanted to wed than at the festival. ‘We’re the first wedding at the Mishnish and, as far as we know, we could be the first at the festival. There’s no chance we’ll ever forget our anniversary because the festival will always be on our calendar,’ he said.
Business was booming for local shops, cafes and eateries as well as the pubs.
Tobermory Hotel’s Robert MacLeod, whose grandfather Bobby MacLeod started the festival 42 years ago, said the weekend is loosely structured by himself and Neil Morrison from Macgochans with support of the community.
‘It’s been another brilliant festival. Thanks to all the bands and to the people who keep coming back for more ever year – the first-timers too,’ he said.
Even a downpour on Sunday failed to put people off from enjoying themselves, keen to make the festival last as long as they possible could before packing up and heading home until the next one.