BoW fest draws 6,000 visitors to Inverarary

LAST month’s Best of the West Festival of music, art, crafts, food and drink held in the grounds of the magnificent Inveraray Castle attracted more than 6,000 visitors – 89 per cent from outwith Argyll and Bute – and generated more than £2 million into the local economy, making it the biggest and best to date.

A celebration of music that shines a light on Argyll as a prominent and world-class dining, drinking and travel destination, this year saw Best of the West expand its offering with the introduction of a Friday night programme.

And with a survey of visitors revealing that more than 98 per cent said they’d recommend it to a friend, Best of the West Festival 2017 has been hailed by organisers as a resounding success.

Eleanor, Duchess of Argyll, Best of the West Festival founder and chairperson, said: ‘The introduction of our Friday night programme proved hugely popular, with around 1,500 fans flocking to hear Skipinnish surpass themselves.

‘On the Saturday, our kitchen demo tent was by far the biggest to date – and still was bursting at the seams. And Skerryvore headlined to a massive crowd, while the Bidwells Stand of the Festival award was won by Argyll and the Isles Tourism and its Wild About Argyll tent.

‘Eddi Reader delivered a fitting finale on the Sunday, when another highlight that day was Professional MasterChef winner Gary Maclean demonstrating his skills on the kitchen stage.

‘Among other highlights were the Business Gateway craft tent; West Beers’ popular stand of the finest artisan lagers and wheat beers in the UK; free children’s entertainment; the Food From Argyll tent; the Loch Fyne Whisky marquee and, of course, Bruce the Beaver and Bonnie the Seal.’

EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s events directorate, supported Best of the West Festival through its national funding programme.