Hebridean Celtic Festival drums up record audience figures
THE Hebridean Celtic Festival has experienced a record audience in its 21st year.
An estimated 18,000 people attended the four days of music in Stornoway and the surrounding areas.
Brian Hurren, of the band Runrig, said: “It was incredible. The crowd was unbelievable.
“It was so good to hear Runrig’s music played at home, it just comes alive like nowhere else.
“It was definitely one of the top gigs the band have ever done.”
Heb-Celt had its highest grossing festival, with tickets selling faster than before and many shows were fully booked weeks in advance.
The festival staged more than 70 hours of performances in the main arena, at An Lanntair arts centre in Stornoway and in rural venues in Lewis and Harris.
Caroline Maclennan, festival director, said: “It has been a truly remarkable festival this year. We have broken all previous records.
“Our sales income smashed our target and broke all previous box office records from the last 21 years. This is easily our best performance, with big spikes firstly when we announced Runrig and put weekend tickets on sale back in November, and then when we released day tickets.
“Since then sales have been incredible.
“Runrig are obviously a huge draw, especially in our unique setting in the Gaelic heartland, but we had a very strong and varied programme with a host of great artists on all four days.”
The Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Hayseed Dixie, Astrid, Julie Fowlis, King Creosote, Eddi Reader, John McCusker and Breabach were among the line-up at the festival.
Tickets are all ready to go on sale for next year’s festival. Nearly half of this year’s audience came from outside the Hebrides.
Alastair Lockett, Visit-Scotland’s assistant area manager, said: “The whole festival week surpassed anything we’ve seen before.
“Everything ran very smoothly and really good business was done all round.”
Heb-Celt has grown from a small event attracting fewer than 1,000 fans.
It is estimated it has generated more than £20 million for the local economy over two decades.