Festival Schedule (precise timings coming shortly but the schedule may change so please check back in before the event.

All are welcome, it is a family event and is free of charge for all the community, businesses and visitors. The Festival celebrates the 10 year anniversary of the Wester Ross Marine Protected Area (MPA) - the largest maerl MPA in the world, and fosters discussion about the next 10 years. You are invited to wear something PINK in honour our favourite species - maerl. Or come as a herring if you’re feeling adventurous. (Neither compulsory of course!)

WEEK BEFORE THE FESTIVAL: The artists involved will be inviting you to informal ways to participate creatively so come and participate in the celebrations and get involved.

1- LIZZIE MCDOUGALL - a much loved Highland storyteller will be offering opportunities for young people to create art to honour marine life and she may even share some magical stories of the Scottish heroes and the sea….

2- CREATIVE willow weaving to celebrate the sea and the Wester Ross MPA. 

3- JULIA BARTON (artist) may need help to make her giant twiggy maerl performance. Watch this space for more details.

4- ‘ADOPT A BAY’ with seaweed pressing and tasting, and identify the seaweeds in your local patch. Or want to just have fun making seaweed art cards for Christmas or birthdays or healthy eats as treats?

We are most delighted to announce that Professor Jason Hall Spencer a world leading expert on Maerl who has examined the alliances surveys has confirmed attendance at the festival ….

Don’t miss his insights on whats happening underwater…..

THE MAERL HERRING FESTIVAL 25-27th SEPTEMBER

25th Twilight Event - Summer Isles.

Wear Pink if you can. Bring Sparklers, and Lanterns. Dress warm.

MUSICAL ILLUMINATED FLOTILLA - Twilight opening event with songs and music on board the flotilla to celebrate the sea.

Wrap up warm and watch from the shoreline as an illuminated musical flotilla weaves its way along the coastline celebrating and honouring the Summer Isles and the Marine Protected Area. As the flotilla passes through the Summer Isles - light a sparkler or a lantern and make a wish for the next 10 years and come and tell us at the next events.

Musicians and singers: Our local gaelic singer Lisa MacDonald will be singing alongside Peter Fraser on Mandolin, with local Pipers, fiddlers, flute and drum.

Help us to make it a magical event bringing light and hope to celebrate 10 years of the Marine Protected Area - we hope the full moon will shine and the weather will be kind ….

LATER…..STORYTELLING OF THE SEA at the Port Beag Campsite beach by a fire or small tent (or in the pub if the weather is too windy or rainy for a fire at the beach….) TBC

Tales and Tunes of the Sea

Highland Storyteller Lizzie McDougall will share timeless tales of the Mermaids, Mermen, Selkies, Seers and Saints, found in the waters around our coast mixed with tunes old and new from Komorebi, an exciting new traditional music duo featuring Siannie Moodie on clarsach and Cameron Newell on fiddle. ‘Komorebi’, is the Japanese word for light dappling through leaves, an image they evoke through their music. In their Ecotones project they are creating compositions and arrangements of Gaelic material inspired by the threshold of sea and land and  the folklore that surrounds it.

A gathering for stories by the fire - its a family event with hot chocolate and marshmallows or cocao for those who want it , with treats supplied - or get your own drinks from the bar.

Port Beag campsite, Altandhu, or Am Fuaran bar

26th afternoon - Coigach Community Hall (CCH) 

26th September Julia Barton’s giant twiggy Maerl Performance Art will be followed by Professor Jason Hall Spencer - the world leading expert on maerl - discussing BHA’s Maerl Citizen Science Report, documenting 10 years of maerl decline in the MPA and what we can all do next to help.

27th afternoon Coigach Community Hall (CCH) 

Small Market Fair, short underwater films, and photography screening.

(We are inviting local seafood, food and drink suppliers, as well as local artisans, producers, artists and creatives to come share their work, we are very keen to support local entreprise)

1- Underwater photos and memories of the Summer Isles by one of the longest diving local divers, who was on the first ever underwater survey in the area back in the 1970’s. Not to be missed.

Followed by : Dreams of the Future: an open community discussion with short talks by National fishing Representatives, locals and scientists who really know their stuff, sharing their hopes for the future on fishing villages, food security, and the coastal economy. Share your hopes for the future too, either by speaking or put your thoughts on a paper-fish if you prefer. All are welcome to take part as it is important multiple, and diverse perspectives are heard.

Please come up with ideas or host your own event too if you wish, all welcome to participate and get creative in any way you wish to celebrate the sea and the Marine Protected Area.

The alliance’s films has long been inspired by indigenous cultures as well as the Highland heritage of storytelling (often Gaelic speaking) which is a tradition handed down mostly orally, keeping alive the deep connection to nature and the interconnectivity of all life. We hope to encourage this cultural and ecological restoration to empower more grassroots involvement in our own future destiny. Please come and speak up. You are most welcome to share your concerns and hopes.

25th October 2024

7pm to 930pm

Torridon Community Hall IV22 2EZ

Get ready for a magical evening of discovery, inspiration, and connection as we dive deep into the underwater wonders of the northwest! This will be our 9th Blue Hope Alliance Film Night, and we have an exciting lineup prepared for you.

Over the past decade the Blue Hope Alliance has been working tirelessly to protect and conserve our marine environment through cross sector collaboration. Now we are looking ahead to even greater achievements together.

This is your chance to go on a virtual dive, learn about the fascinating species in our waters, and see what we’ve achieved through our surveys. Plus hear about the tremendous progress made by the Maerl Friends of Loch Torridon, one of group members.

Foraging and Seaweed