THE Enchanted Forest, a Perthshire Big Tree Country event and one of Scotland’s premier sound and light shows, launched last night in an array of dazzling colours to a select audience of press and VIPs at Forestry Commission Scotland’s Faskally Wood near Pitlochry.
The event, which celebrates its tenthAnniversary this year, is hoping to beat all previous box office records, attracting almost 30,000 visitors in 2012.
The 2012 show ‘FLOW’ has been designed by a creative team led by Derek Allan which includes Scottish designers Simon Wilkinson (lighting) and RJ McConnell (sound), as well as Dundee-based visual artists Dalziel + Scullion, whose work is supported thanks to the generosity of a grant from Creative Scotland in celebration of Year of Creative Scotland 2012.
Together, they have created a dazzling and engaging show which not only celebrates ten years of The Enchanted Forest, but is in itself a celebration of the stunning woodland setting in which the event is set.
Derek Allan, creative director of The Enchanted Forest 2012, commented: “We have worked tirelessly this year to ensure we deliver a show that is creatively interesting and visually stunning.
“Thanks to funding from Creative Scotland we have been able to work with some of Scotland’s most exciting designers to deliver an experience that I am certain our visitors will find breath-taking and unique.
“We were inspired by the stunning natural woodland that is Faskally Wood and this year’s show aims to enhance visitor appreciation of the forest in which The Enchanted Forest is set.”
Pete Wishart, Member of Parliament for Perth and North Perthshire, formally opened the show on Thursday night, commenting: “This is undoubtedly one of Scotland’s finest events.
“Not only does it provide an essential boost for the local economy, it opens up the beauty of this area’s stunning scenery to literally thousands of people, and showcases it in a brand new light.
“I can’t think of a better way to cheer up these October evenings than a trip to The Enchanted Forest.”
James McDougall, from Forestry Commission Scotland, from whom the idea for The Enchanted Forest event first originated back in 2002, also attended the launch:
“It’s incredible to see the show’s success over the last ten years. I’m really proud that it’s grown from the humble beginnings of just 2,500 visitors in its first year to over ten times its size and firmly established itself as one of Scotland’s flagship events attracting visitors from all around the world.
“The Enchanted Forest is a fantastic showcase for Scotland’s woodland beauty and I’m really very proud to have founded an event that has captured the imagination of so many people.
“The work of Forestry Commission Scotland is so much more than planting trees and through this event we have been able to support tourism, strengthen communities and attract more people out into our woodlands. ”
The event runs from Friday 5th October – Saturday 27th October. Tickets are in very high demand this year with many shows already sold out.
For further information about the Enchanted Forest and to book tickets, visit the Enchanted Forest website at www.enchantedforest.org.uk
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