THE Enchanted Forest, Scotland’s leading outdoor light and sound event, managed by Pitlochry Area Community Interest Company, has today announced it intends to move to a new venue in 2011.
The event, which began at The Hermitage in Dunkeld in 2002, moved to Faskally Wood near Pitlochry in 2004 and, very much in keeping with its Perthshire Big Tree Country roots, will take up residence in The Explorers Woodland Garden, Pitlochry, this autumn.
The move brings with it a number of fringe benefits which will improve the event’s green credentials, as well as the bottom line for its customers.
The new, more central, location means that customers will no longer be required to catch a bus to and from the event, the cost savings of which are being passed on to the youngest visitors (under three years-old) and to wheelchair users who will now be able to attend the spectacle free of charge.
The organisers have also take the decision to extend the event’s run from its traditional 17 nights to 23 nights in 2011, which will open up the event to a potential 25,000 visitors – something which they would have been unable to achieve at Faskally Wood.
Derek Allan, chair of The Enchanted Forest, commented: “We are very excited about this year’s event. Our customers expect us to deliver something new and exciting.
“The Explorers Woodland Garden is a fine woodland area with a network of paths and very interesting features that is simply steeped in Perthshire Big Tree Country history.
“This versatile setting offers our creative team, who achieved record results with last year’s show, a new and quite innovative canvas upon which they can continue to develop the wow factor our customers love about The Enchanted Forest.”
The 2011 event is, perhaps fittingly, entitled ‘Transitions’, and is one of the key events in Scotland’s autumnal tourism calendar.
Richard Pinn, VisitScotland regional director, said: “We welcome the news that The Enchanted Forest is to be extended this year as it gives more people than ever before the chance to go along and experience what is one of Scotland’s most magical events, particularly since bringing it forward also aligns it with the school holidays.
“The Enchanted Forest is already very popular and important to the Perthshire area, so much so that it was one of the many iconic elements chosen to feature in VisitScotland’s new ‘Surprise Yourself’ campaign.
“Events are hugely important to the future growth of the tourism industry in Scotland and it is great to see this investment in and development of The Enchanted Forest.”
Paul McLennan, from Perthshire Big Tree Country, commented: “The Explorers Garden is a prime Perthshire Big Tree Country location which highlights the heroic impact of the local plant hunters whose introductions helped shape this stunning landscape.
“The Community Interest Company’s management of the event last year was a huge success and we are confident in their abilities to deliver a show at the very high standards expected of them, in a location that is, in itself, a perfect setting.”
The Enchanted Forest will take place from Friday 7th – Saturday 29th October 2011 at The Explorer’s Garden in Pitlochry.
Tickets will go on sale from June 2011.
For further information please visit www.EnchantedForest.org.uk
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