Haggis making, tasting and hurling will be a huge part of this year’s Oban Winter Festival.
The festival runs from November 21-30, and will include a series of St Andrew’s Day themed activities on Saturday November 29.
Mark Grant, from Grants the Butchers of Taynuilt, and James Paterson, from Jackson Butchers in Oban, are among the experts going head to head at Haggisfest, a unique celebration of the great Scottish delicacy.
It will see seven butchers and haggis-makers from Argyll all cooking up a storm with a chance to win the coveted “Golden Haggis Award”.
Haggisfest will open to the public in Oban Distillery on Saturday November 29 at midday and will be judged by Oban chef and restaurant owner Alex Needham of the Waterfront Fishouse and chef and manager of the Manor House Hotel, Gregor MacKinnon.
The public will have the chance to taste all the entries and vote for a “People’s Choice” award whilst enjoying a free tipple.
Alongside Haggisfest, visitors can browse the Scottish Food and Craft Market in the old distillery cask room and watch the Tartan Dash as the race, where competitors must wear tartan, makes its way through the town.
The Oban Winter Festival is part of Scotland’s Winter Festivals – a programme of events supported by the Scottish Government and managed by EventScotland.
The 2014 festival will encompass parades, ceilidhs, live music, art exhibitions, markets and more at venues throughout the town.
Atlantis Leisure Centre football pitch will be the venue for a haggis hurling event on November 29, followed by the Family Science and Circus Show.
The Festival Finale on the evening of Sunday November 30 will feature circus skills from Circus Alba; the Lantern Parade led by Oban High School Pipe Band with performances by the newly formed Youth Samba Band; performances by local choirs, a ceilidh band and fireworks display.