Festival stays ale and hearty despite the weather
The rain tried to spoil the party at the Blackwaterfoot Beer Festival but it takes more than a few spots of water to halt the revelry at this ever-popular event.
In what has become something of a tradition for the festival, the heavens opened just as it got into full swing but it just made the atmosphere inside the packed marquees all the more convivial.
And as the rain eased, so the revellers were able to begin to make use of the sprawling shorefront gardens. Sensibly, given the forecast, most of the food as well as the children’s entertainment was indoors.
Started three years ago at the Kinloch Hotel, the event has grown so much that the festival is now firmly established, not only on the island’s summer calendar but as a date to head to Arran from the mainland.
The busiest festival so far saw nearly 1,200 attending the event over the course the day with parties from the mainland mingling with locals and other visitors. As well as the many well-kent faces, there was a couple of famous people from the world of football with the appearance former player and now TV pundit Steven Thompson and Motherwell and former Scotland striker James McFadden. James was visiting Arran for the first time with his wife Gillian. Steven has a home in Blackwaterfoot.
Over the course of the day, there was a host of entertainment the from the Arran Brass Band and the popular Arran Jazz Cafe Band with special guests this year the Perth duo The Mad Ferret Band, featuring Chris Woods and Sand Stirton. And they certainly gave the packed marquee a rousing set with their hard-hiting blend of traditional and contemporary folk music.
But for many the day is a about tasting the beers and coders they may otherwise not get the chance to savour. This year there were beers fro Wolverhampton and Nottingham as well as closer to hom from Ayr Brewery and Edinburgh’s Caledonian Brewer There was also a range of coders, with Strongbow show casing its new cloudy cider.
There was also be a win and champagne stall and the Famous Grouse hosted a free whisky tasting, while afternoon teas with home-baking were on offer from Shiskine SWI.
There was loads to do fo kids, including a magic show
by Scottish star Scott Cuthbertson and a special appearance by Shadow the Rabbit. There was also a children’s corner, face painting, balloon modelling and aquazorbing in the swimming pool.
During the day ducks were being sold for the duck derby in aid of Shiskine village hall funds but, due to the amount of water in the burn, it was not able to be held. However, some local children picked the prize-winning ducks which were: 1 (£100) Phoebe Burnett; 2 (£25) Murdina Currie; 3 (£10) Simon Gee; 4 (£5) Struan Thompson, 5 (£5) Wilma Robertson, 6 (£5) George Tod. A total of £543 was raised for hall funds.
Organiser Fraser Hendrie said: ‘It was another great day and I think everyone enjoyed themselves despite the weather. ’