24th Hebridean Celtic Festival

That the Parliament congratulates the volunteers and organisers of the widely praised and successful 24th Hebridean Celtic Festival (or HebCelt), which took place in Stornoway between 17 and 20 July 2019; recognises that the festival is a not-for-profit charitable event firmly rooted within its community and is almost entirely produced by voluntary effort; notes that this year’s HebCelt featured more than 30 acts, such as KT Tunstall, Newton Faulkner, Tide Lines, Elephant Sessions, The Shires, the Hoojamamas, Face the West and Peat & Diesel; understands that the festival also featured a large programme of community concerts and events outside of the main festival enclosure in Stornoway; considers HebCelt to be the major event on the Celtic music calendar, attracting around 18,000 attendees over the four days, of which half come from outside the Western Isles; commends its focus on environmental issues and notes that it was the only Scottish festival to pick up a prize at the A Greener Festival Awards after last year’s festival managed to either recycle or sent to a biogradable waste digester 80% of the waste generated; further notes that 2018 saw HebCelt win Best Cultural Event or Festival at the Scottish Thistle Awards, Festival of the Year award and the Grand Prix prize at the 2018 Scottish Event Awards, and was named Best Cultural Event or Festival in the Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards for the second time in three years; praises the role that HebCelt plays in displaying the positive aspects of island life and for showcasing the islands as a culturally rich and vibrant place to live; acknowledges the substantial economic contribution the festival makes, having generated more than £25 million for the local economy since its inception in 1996, with this year’s festival estimated to bring in over £2 million, and looks forward to celebrating next year’s landmark 25th Hebridean Celtic Festival.