Argyll and Bute Council has received funding from EventScotland’s National Events Programme to help support a Food and Drink Village in Oban when the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race sails into town this July.
The Clipper Race is a prestigious global sporting event renowned as one of the toughest endurance challenges in the world. It will visit Scotland for the first time this summer when it arrives in Oban from 12-21 July.
The council is a Host Port Partner alongside BID4Oban and the Scottish Towns Partnership, who have part-funded the Host Port costs. Several local and national partners have also signed up to help deliver the event, including Argyll and the Isles Tourism Cooperative (AITC) and Food from Argyll who will promote and run the Food and Drink Village at Oban’s Rockfield Centre.
The Food and Drink Village will form part of a wider Festival of the Sea to celebrate Oban’s outstanding maritime history, Gaelic tradition, music, songs, and literature, and to highlight Argyll and Bute’s key role in marine tourism.
Argyll and Bute Council Leader, Councillor Jim Lynch, said: “We are very grateful to EventScotland for this funding. We have amazing world-class produce in Argyll and Bute and the Food and Drink Village will enable us to showcase this to an international audience and help establish new business relationships.
“We are committed to promoting Argyll and Bute across the globe and the Festival of the Seas will help by stimulating investment across key sectors of food and drink, events and festivals, hospitality, and retail. I have no doubt the festival will be a resounding success and I cannot wait to attend.”
Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland Director of Events, said: “We are proud to be supporting the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race during the Oban stopover. We have no doubt that the crew will enjoy the breath-taking beauty and hospitality of Oban, with locals and visitors alike not only being drawn to watching this epic race unfold but also the fine local produce on offer at the Food and Drink Village. Scotland is the perfect stage for events with the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race forming part of an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events taking place across the country this year.”
Chief Executive of AITC, Cathy Craig, said: Our small, local producers work with the land and sea to produce top-notch food and drink that is as fresh as it comes and prepared with love in our fabulous West Coast eateries. Visitors and the Clipper Race crew can expect to sample and buy fabulous local provenance whilst the Clipper Race is in town. For more information about the event visit www/oban.org.uk/clipper-race/”
Notes to editor:
EventScotland is working to make Scotland the perfect stage for events by securing and supporting an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events. It provides funding opportunities and access to resources and information to develop the industry.
EventScotland is a team within VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, the national tourism organisation, alongside Business Events and Development teams. For further information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news visit www.eventscotland.org