Mix up Scotland's top chefs, bread making workshops, a raft race and a kids Bugsy Malone Bar with splurge guns and what do you get? The unique Mhor Festival.
Set in the national park on the shores of Loch Voil, the festival takes place on 24 and 25 May. It kicks off with an opening raft race on the loch. This year's race is clan-themed with festival-goers competing for £100 prize money. The Saturday continues with a laid-back vibe and live music from All Guns Blazing, DJ Jamie Miller and Nick Peacock. The cake baking competition will award £100 to the best entry following the theme of Commonwealth countries.
For children there is pot planting in the gardens and activities including traditional party games, giant parachute play, bubble time and a mini Commonwealth Games from Magwitch Monsters.
Visitors won't go hungry with an oyster bar, Pimms and Champagne bar, salad bar, a barbeque cooking up meats from the family farm, a vintage tearoom serving up afternoon tea, and beers from artisan breweries. Fish and chips will be served up in a converted horsebox and this year children will have their own Bugsy Malone style bar where they can don a trilby and sample mocktails.
The Saturday night will see five top chefs each cook a course for the Festival Feast, giving food lovers a unique opportunity to sit down to an epic meal. The chefs taking part are:
· Andrew Fairlie from Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, Scotland's only two Michelin star chef.
· Roy Brett from Ondine, making a welcome return to Mhor Festival.
· Michael Smith from The Three Chimneys, winner of BBC's Great British Menu, who will return to the festival from his home on Skye.
· Neil Forbes from Café St Honore, one of Edinburgh's best-loved and award-winning chefs.
· Tom Lewis from Monachyle MHOR, who will be cooking on his own turf.
There will also be live music on the night from fiddle player and singer Eilidh Shaw and Celtic musician Ross Martin.
The following day will have a gentle start with a Sunday morning paper review. Guests can relax with a coffee and bacon rolls, while taking part in a review of the day's newspapers led by a panel of journalists and commentators. Well-known journalist Bill Jamieson will head up the discussions.
Afterwards, a wine, beer and food market will be held in the barn alongside local crafts stalls. There will be bread-baking courses and a best loaf competition with Masterchef quarter-finalists Julie MacLeoad and Marysia Paszkowska and £100 prize money up for grabs. There's even the omelette competition made famous by BBC's Saturday Kitchen. Crowds will be kept entertained by DJ Jamie Miller on the front lawn with the legendary DJ and host Mark Robb (The Buff Club & Cafe Rio Glasgow).
On Sunday evening, the pace picks up with a family ceilidh with music from the legendary Brian McAlpine and Session A9. Live music from 9pm will feature Rail Fan, the Americana blues-inspired band that supported Deacon Blue at Hogmanay. Then from 10pm until late, The Club will feature DJs Mash (a well known fixture on nights like Bugged Out and RIP and house editor at Mixmag) and Joshua (an up and coming DJ who runs the successful club-night, Stay Fresh).
The festival's spectacular setting on the shores of Loch Voil are ideal for enjoying the great outdoors but in the event of bad weather, the festival will move under cover to two large barns. Lochside camping will be available on both nights.
Mhor Festival is organised by the Lewis family, who run award-winning Monachyle Mhor and Mhor 84 motel. The festival takes place at Monachyle Mhor Hotel, Balquhidder.
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