Two major north-east events have been given a funding boost as part of an initiative to promote Scotland’s natural larder.
Taste of Grampian and the Turriff Show – one of the largest agricultural shows in the country – are just two of the events to receive a share of £272,825 as part of the Scottish Government’s Year of Food and Drink.
Thousands of visitors flock to both events each year, with organisers keen to think of fresh ways to keep people coming back.
Organisers of the Taste of Grampian, which will be held at the Thainstone Centre in Inverurie on June 6, will use their £5,000 for a new beer attraction and street food stalls.
The team behind the popular food and drinks festival has teamed up with local breweries for Brewfest, giving visitors the chance to sample and buy a wide range of locally-sourced draft and bottled beers, gins, whiskies and wines.
The Turriff Show has been awarded £7,150, which will be used to showcase the best of the region’s produce in a new area of the exhibition hall during the show on August 2 and 3.
John Gregor, chairman of Taste of Grampian, said: “This funding enables us to improve on the festival, in its 16th year, with a fresh new twist and to add complimentary activities like our BrewFest and street-food market elements to widen and diversity visitor flow to the event.
“These new festival features will attract new and returning visitors from near and far and really get the Grampian region on the map for its quality local produce and as a travel destination.”
Helen Paterson, Turriff Show secretary, added: “We are delighted to have secured funding from Year of Food and Drink Scotland 2015, which will allow our two-day agricultural show an outstanding opportunity to promote the very best of Aberdeenshire produce to all visitors in a new area in the exhibition hall.”
The Year of Food and Drink is led by VisitScotland on behalf of the Scottish Government, and is designed to enhance the country’s culinary reputation with a packed programme of events that allow visitors to sample local produce.