All set to welcome Homecoming year

Jan 2 2009 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

PERTH and Kinross is a major player in Scotland’s Homecoming 2009 – the multi-event celebration of Scotland’s heritage, culture and great contributions to the world being held across the country between Burns Night (January 25) and St Andrew’s Day (November 30).

The aim of Homecoming Scotland is to encourage people of Scottish descent, as well as anyone who loves Scotland, to come home in 2009 and take part in the celebration.

Homecoming also ties in with the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns.

Perth and Kinross is ably qualified to take a high Homecoming profile, given that the programme’s design is guided by Scotland’s position as the home golf, whisky, great Scottish minds and innovations, as well, of course, as the home of Burns.

One of the top Homecoming events is when Scotland –and Perthshire – hosts the final stage of the Intercontinental Rally Championship (IRC) for 2.0-litre Super2000 cars.

Contested by many of the world’s fastest rally drivers, the IRC in November sits immediately below the World Rally Championship. The IRC will be covered by Eurosport, guaranteeing global-wide televising of Perthshire’s natural assets across the globe.

The rally route has yet to be finalised, but it is understood to have a Palaces and Castles theme. The final stage of the rally will leave with razzmatazz from Perth on November 19.

There will be a special Scone Palace stage and organisers are expected to utilise Blair Castle as a base and using routes in Highland Perthshire.

The rally will move into Stirlingshire where Stirling Castle will be where the cars roar across the finishing line on November 21.

The announcement about the event, secured by EventScotland, the national events agency working in partnership with Perth and Kinross and Stirling Councils, was made by the FirstMinister Alex Salmond, who said: “Scotland’s reputation for leading innovation and setting new standards in the motor sport industry makes it an ideal location for the Intercontinental Rally Challenge final.

“The event will be made even more special as it will be one of the signature events in our Homecoming programme.

“For 2009 we are inviting Scotland’s friends and family to return home to celebrate our strengths and culture.

“That invitation is being extended to the countless rally fans and enthusiasts around the world.”

The international-status event will feature additional activity for the many thousands of spectators expected.

Paul Bush Chief Operating Officer of EventScotland, the national events agency, said: “Scotland hasn't hosted a rally of this stature for 20 years and staging the final round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge provides an opportunity to further enhance Scotland's reputation within motor sports.”

In addition to significant TV and media exposure, organisers anticipate spectator numbers at the event to grow in excess of 100,000 as the event becomes more established.

Councillor John Kellas, convener of Enterprise and Infrastructure with Perth and Kinross Council, said; “I am delighted that we have been successful in attracting this major international event to Scotland.

“Perth and Kinross can expect to benefit significantly from hosting the event in terms of economic impact and global media coverage.”

Other confirmed ‘signature’ events in Perth and Kinross supported by Homecoming Scotland 2009 are:

Scottish Tides Polish Spring: A season of cultural events reflecting the common history of Scotland and Poland, which will celebrate the comings and goings of Scots and Poles through the centuries through theatre, music and visual art. Held between February and April, the venues will be Perth Concert Hall and Perth Theatre.

Guildtown Bluegrass MusicFestival 2009: Scotland’s only 2009 Bluegrass music festival will extend a special welcome to international visitors journeying back to explore their roots. Held between Friday, July 31, and Monday, August 3, at Guildtown Village Hall and Perth Concert Hall.

Perthshire Amber – The Dougie Maclean Festival 2009: Internationally renowned songwriter and composer Dougie Maclean has developed a unique festival which shares his inspiringmusic, celebrates the history and culture of Perthshire and showcases the beautiful scenery. For the fifth Perthshire Amber from October 30 until November 8, 2009, the concerts will be staged in a variety of Highland Perthshire venues and, for the first time, will include a venue south of Birnam with a finale concert, ‘Caledonia – I’m coming home!’ in Perth Concert Hall.

The Etape Caledonia: The only closed road cycle event in the UK winds its way through 81 miles of stunning Highland Perthshire countryside on Sunday, May 17. A range of entertainment and fun is also available for spectators along the route which starts and finishes in Pitlochry.

Johnnie Walker Championship: The championship in August is one of the most exciting sporting events held in Scotland. Played over the Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course – the venue for the 2014 Ryder Cup matches – the championship attracts some of Europe’s finest golfers including Championship chairman Colin Montgomerie.

There are other events which, while not receiving direct funding do get support from Homecoming Scotland 2009, plus ‘rolling’ events such as an important Burns exhibition which comes to Perth Museum and Art Gallery as part of its tour of Scotland, and whisky exhibitions, a vivid and extravagant dramatisation of Tam O’Shanter at Perth Theatre (January 30 to February 14), an open air concert at Scone Palace by Gaelic rockers Runrig (August 29), and a summer season at Pitlochry Festival Theatre of six shows by Scottish authors/playwrights especially chosen to celebrate Homecoming Scotland 2009, highlight of which will be a musical version of Whisky Galore.

Councillor Kellas, said the local Homecoming Scotland events would attract visitors from all over the world, and also offer a huge variety of entertainment for local people.

“The line-up represents a fabulous mix that will appeal to a wide variety of people,” he said.

“Ancestral tourism will be a big draw of the Homecoming event, so I’m also pleased that services for visitors are being enhanced. The recently opened Family History Centre in Perth and the Local Studies Department at AK Bell Library are only part of the services available for people who want to research their ancestry.

“All of this means we can approach 2009 with confidence and ensure that the Perth and Kinross area plays a key role in the national celebrations. The Homecoming is important to everyone in Perth and Kinross because it will showcase the area as a tourism centre. The tourism industry is very important to our local economy.”

Full details of Homecoming Scotland 2009 events across Scotland can be found on www.homecomingscotland2009.com, and for more information about Perth and Kinross events, visit www.homecomingscotland2009.com/perthandkinross

Homecoming Scotland 2009 is a Scottish Government initiative managed by EventScotland, the national events agency, in partnership with VisitScotland, the country’s tourism agency.