The Findhorn Bay Festival named as ‘Best Large Festival’ at The Scottish Event Awards

A biennial event has been named as ‘Best Large Festival’ at a national prize giving.

The Findhorn Bay Festival beat rival nominees Glasgow Film Festival and Sonica Glasgow (music and visual arts) at The Scottish Event Awards, dedicated to the events and festivals industries.

Findhorn Bay Arts (FBA) chief executive officer, Kresanna Aigner, was thrilled to accept the accolade on behalf of her team at a ceremony at the O2 Academy in Edinburgh.

She said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have won! They say it takes a village ... In our case, it takes a whole town, and a fantastic team.

“This award is for all of the people who take part, support, show up and help make it happen. So a heartfelt thank you from us!”

She added: “We were up against two major and exceptional arts festivals based in the city, which makes it even more special as we, a rural arts festival, won in the category.”

Since 2012, FBA has been running cultural events and activities in Moray and beyond, including the centrepiece Findhorn Bay Festival. The most recent event was held last September/October.

The charity has established a year-round arts programme, winning a number of awards for its contribution to the cultural sector.

The Scottish Event Awards are Scotland’s are a tribute to the resilience of the industry, and the outstanding companies and organisations involved.

Entries are assessed by industry’s figures who have helped shape the sector through their influence and expertise.

“They ensure the highest level of fairness and trustworthiness when selecting the winners,” said Kresanna. “The awards shine a spotlight on the country’s most creative, innovative, and impactful events, as well as the organisations and teams that bring them to life.

“The ceremony had a celebratory feel and was attended by many prestigious people and organisations.”

FBA is taking part in ‘Beach of Dreams’, a UK-wide festival exploring the heritage, culture and climate future of our coastlines. Fifty local participants plan to walk from Burghead to Findhorn on Sunday, May 18, departing from the shore car park near Burghead Beach Caravan Park at 8.45am. Silk pennants will be on display from 1-5pm.

For more information visit https://findhornbayarts.com/