Whole of Scotland Homecoming Year set to finish in style

The Homecoming Scotland Finale Celebrations will present Scotland’s biggest ever St Andrew’s Do from 26th – 30th November 2009. The finale to what has been a fantastic year for Scotland offers a spectacular programme of more than 40 events taking place from the Highlands to Haddington, Dundee to Dumfries and just about everywhere in between. With many of the events free to attend and ‘Visit for Free’ attractions opening their doors, it’s a party not to be missed.

Featuring concerts and ceilidhs, fireworks and fun, there’s so much going on and plenty of opportunity to do something for St Andrew’s Day 2009: Enjoy an amazing weekend of music at Dumfries Fling – The Reel Thing and Scots Trad Music Awards and Legends Concert in Dumfries; See some of the finest musicians who have been influenced by Scotland and its rich musical heritage at Homecoming Live – The Final Fling in Glasgow; Watch a major son et lumière light up historic landmarks at St Andrews Festival; Ceilidh at Aberdeen’s St Andrew’s Day Celebrations; Discover a recently unearthed collection of handwritten letters to Irvine Burns Club from prominent figures in Irvine’s Dear Mister Burns; Celebrate Scotland’s music with the cream of young traditional musical talent at Inverness’ Ceòl Nam Fèis 2009; Party at St Andrew’s “Do”, an exciting programme of free, family-friendly events taking place throughout Edinburgh; Experience Dundee’s Winter Light Night, an illumination of the city’s culture; plus much, much more taking place in venues all across the country.

Minister for Culture Michael Russell said: “Throughout 2009, we have welcomed many thousands of visitors to Scotland, boosting tourism revenue and celebrating our culture. It is fitting that the Homecoming Year comes to an end with such a spectacular programme of activity around our national day and I hope everyone will be inspired to get involved and do something to celebrate.”

Marie Christie, Project Director for Homecoming Scotland 2009, said: “The programme for this finale celebration, and indeed throughout the year, has been created and delivered by hundreds of organisations across the country, each working in partnership to make 2009 a successful Homecoming year for Scotland. Scotland has certainly risen to the challenge this year and as a result Homecoming Scotland is well on track to deliver its objectives. Interim reports indicate that Homecoming will meet its economic targets as well as achieve a host of wider benefits. A big thank you to all those who have contributed to what looks sure to be a strong success story for Scotland”

The programme is supported by an extensive marketing campaign delivered in partnership with VisitScotland and the Scottish Government. The Homecoming Scotland Finale Celebrations programme is available at VisitScotland Information Centres and many other key outlets across Scotland and the UK. The programme is also available online at www.homecomingscotland2009.com/finale both as a downloadable file and searchable database. Visit the website and register for programme updates, competitions and news.

See attached for a full listing of events taking part in the Homecoming Scotland Finale Celebrations.

Listing of Finale Events

PDF document 70kb

To download the full programme as a PDF (3MB) please visit: www.homecomingscotland2009.com/finale

For further Information and images please visit the Media Toolkit:

http://www.homecomingscotland.com/toolkit/finale-toolkit.html.

Fèis Movement ‘comes home’ to Inverness for Year of Homecoming

Gaelic culture will be highlighted as part of Scotland’s national St Andrew’s Day celebrations and the official Homecoming Scotland Finale programme in the Highlands.

Ceòl nam Fèis 2009 (literally ‘music of the festivals’) will see up to 100 Fèis Movement stars both past and present descend upon the Highland capital for a unique showcase concert of new and traditional songs, tunes and dances at Inverness’s Eden Court Theatre on Friday 27th November.

Arthur Cormack, Director of Fèisean nan Gaidheal, the organisation which supports the development of community-based Gaelic arts tuition festivals throughout Scotland, explains: “This unique event will feature former Fèis players, who are now professional musicians, coming home to work alongside groups of young people from across Scotland currently involved in the movement. Having begun some 25 years ago in Barra, the Movement now involves 48 groups across the country, from Tiree to Aberdeen, each of which are engaged in tuition and the promotion of Gaelic culture. Rehearsals for this event have been going on for several months so I can guarantee a fantastic evening with several well known faces and some of the country’s best young traditional musicians.”

Marie Christie, Project Director for Homecoming Scotland 2009, adds: “Ceol nam Feis 2009 will be a highlight of the national St Andrew’s Day celebrations and the Homecoming Scotland Finale programme in the Highlands. Scotland’s music has been the soundtrack to many great Homecoming events across the country during 2009, it is therefore very fitting that we see the year out in the Highlands with a fantastic night drawing together the country’s finest talent from the impressive work of the Fèis movement.”

Convener of The Highland Council, Councillor Sandy Park, said: “Ceòl nam Fèis will provide a very rousing conclusion to the Highland Homecoming events and be a true showcase for past, present and new emerging traditional musical talent. I am sure the evening will be a glowing success that recognised the huge contribution the Fèis movement has made to strengthening our links with our cultural past and promoting the talents of our young people.”

Minister for Culture, Michael Russell, said: “St Andrew’s Day is a day to celebrate all that is great about Scotland – including our unique Gaelic culture and music. It is fitting that the Homecoming Year reaches it finale by welcoming home Fèis musicians from around the world to work with our young talent as part of this spectacular event. I’m sure that Ceòl nam Fèis will be a great success and a highlight of the Highland programme.”

The event, organised by Fèisean nan Gaidheal in partnership with The Highland Council, will be held in the Empire Theatre at Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, at 7.30pm, Friday 27th November. For tickets and further information please visit http://www.eden-court.co.uk/whats-on/shows/ceol-nam-feis-2009-st-andrew-s-feis-homecoming# .

At the end of the month thousands of young Poles will be celebrating their futures and hoping to catch a glimpse of their love-to-be, as part of St Andrew’s day (30 November).

Traditional belief has it that on the night before St Andrew’s day, a young woman is able to “see” her future husband – although today both women and men celebrate the day with equal enthusiasm, hoping to discover the love of their life.

In Poland, traditional Andrzejki superstitions include pouring hot wax from a candle into cold water through a key hole – a future husband’s profession can be determined from the shape of the resulting piece of wax. It is also popular for young women to write the names of potential husbands on pieces of paper and then put them under their pillow. In the morning they take one out, which reveals the name of the husband-to-be.
While tradition and superstition abounds on St Andrew’s eve, it is now well known as a party night throughout Poland with young people across the country celebrating their youth. This year the celebrations will take place on a Saturday, making for a great party atmosphere and an ideal time for people to visit the country.

Acting Director of the Polish National Tourist Office Bogdan Becla said: “We love tradition and superstition in Poland and St Andrew’s day is certainly no exception. There’ll be thousands of events throughout the country where young people enter in to the spirit of things and hope to see who they’ll fall in love with.

“Above all else it’s a big celebration of youth. It will be a great time to visit one of our cities or towns and let your hair down for the night and celebrate all the joys of life and being young. Now there are direct flights to Warsaw from London it’ll make for an unforgettable weekend break.”