A Taste for Events - EventScotland

This guide has been produced by the organisations outlined below.Thanks are due to all the companies and individuals who provided information and assistance.Photographs are courtesy of VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint, EventScotland, Scotland Food & Drink,the businesses and organisations featured in this guide, and other events across Scotland.Front cover photographs courtesy of Cowal Games, Dundee Food & Flower Festival, Fringe by the Sea andWorld Pipe Band Championships (Iain McLean).Photographs on pages 4, 13 and 18 courtesy of Iain McLean. Photograph on page 9 courtesy of CharlotteSnowden Photographs.Every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of all information in this guide, which is based on detailssupplied in good faith. The editors cannot accept responsibility for any changes, errors or omissions.If you have any comments or suggestions about this guide, or want to tell us about your experienceso this can be built into future editions, please contact EventScotland at www.eventscotland.org orinfo@eventscotland.org.Spring 2012

How to enhance your event with Scottish food and drinkA TASTE FOREVENTS

Visitors to Scotlandspend over £ 1 /2 billionon food and drinkevery year.Research clearly showsthat visitors want toenjoy fresh, localScottish produceand are willing topay more for it.The right choice offood and drink canchange a good eventinto a great one.Good quality,Scottish food anddrink will makemoney for events.Many of our visitors are attracted to Scotlandby our rich variety of events that showcaseour cultural, sporting and natural heritage.Visitors can spend upto £20 a day on foodand drink at events.2

CONTENTSA Taste for Food 4Lip Smackin’ Events 5How to Source Local, Scottish Produce:It’s Never Been Easier 6Scotland Food & Drink 7Local Hotels, Restaurants and Shops 8Producer Groups and Food Networks 9Farmers’ Markets 10Professional Caterers 11Events and Producers Working Together:What Food and Drink Works for Your Event? 12Drawing Up a Specification 13It’s Good to Talk (and Listen) 14Planning Your Event 15Now Tell The World! 17Tasteful Events:World Pipe Band Championships 18Orkney International Science Festival 19Baxters Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running 20Dundee Flower and Food Festival 21Help at Hand 223

A TASTEFOR FOODVISITORS TO SCOTLANDSPEND WELL OVER£ 1 /2 BILLION P/A ONFOOD AND DRINKEach year over 15 millionvisitors enjoy holidays andshort breaks in Scotland andspend over £4 billion. Just over80% of our visitors come from theUK and they account for over twothirds of all visitor spend in Scotland.Detailed surveys tell us what thesevisitors spend their money on.Their biggest expenditure item isaccommodation; second is foodand drink. Food and drink is avital element of the overall visitorexperience of Scotland and, intotal, our visitors spend well over£½ billion a year on eating anddrinking.VisitScotland research shows thatover 70% of visitors to our countrysay they want to enjoy traditionaldishes, regional specialities andfresh, local produce while they arein Scotland,Even better, the majority of visitorssay they are prepared to pay a littlemore for locally produced Scottishfood as they expect it to be fresher,better tasting and to give them amore genuine feel for the area theyare visiting.More detailed research undertakenby Scottish Enterprise through theExperiencing Scotland projectindicates that, on average, visitorsare willing to pay between 7-8%extra for fresh, quality, localScottish food.There is a clear business opportunityfor both tourism businesses andproducers across Scotland toincrease their income by offeringvisitors more quality, local produce.This guide aims to help eventorganisers, tourism businesses andfood producers to make the mostof this outstanding opportunity.4

LIP SMACKINEVENTSTHERE HAS NEVER BEEN GREATER LOCAL AND VISITOR INTEREST IN EVENTSAS WE MOVE TOWARDS 2014Events are a crucial part of what attracts visitorsto Scotland. Each year, we host literallythousands of events of all shapes and sizesranging from one-off international sporting eventsand the world’s largest annual arts festival, to quirky,special interest events organised by communitiesand local enthusiasts.Last year, EventScotland alone supported 105 individualevents that collectively attracted almost 2½ millionvisitors. Events that reflect our strong sporting, culturaland natural heritage continue to grow in number andscale across the whole of Scotland.However, events tend to lag behind other tourismsectors like restaurants and visitor attractions inproviding fresh and local produce. There are majoropportunities for events to enhance their visitorexperience by offering more local Scottish foodand drink to their hungry visitors.This guide will discuss how event organisers can workmore closely with food producers to each other’smutual benefit and will highlight some specific examplesof successful partnerships between events and food.There has never been greater local and visitor interestin events as we move towards 2014 when Scotlandwill host the Ryder Cup, the Glasgow CommonwealthGames and Homecoming 2014. As part of the buildup to 2014, 2012 has been designated the Year ofCreative Scotland and 2013 the Year of NaturalScotland. New funding programmes and supportinitiatives are in place to help event organisers,businesses and communities make the most of theseonce-in-a lifetime opportunities.Food and drink is an integral part of events and aprofitable source of revenue for most event organisers.Research shows that, on average, visitors spend over£10 on food at all day events. This figure rises toaround £20 a day at events like music festivals wherevisitors stay overnight.Good food and drink increases overall visitor spendat an event by encouraging people to stay longer andspend more. It also enhances an event’s reputation,making it more likely to attract repeat visitors year onyear and to be recommended to others.5

HOW TO SOURCE LOCAL, SCOTTISH PRODUCEIT’S NEVERBEEN EASIERTHERE ARE MANY WAYS TOSOURCE FRESH SCOTTISHPRODUCE FOR YOUR EVENT.HERE’S AN ILLUSTRATION OFJUST SOME OF THE OPTIONSWITH MORE DETAILS ON EACHON THE FOLLOWING PAGES.SCOTLAND FOOD & DRINKwww.scotlandfoodanddrink.orgScotland’s most comprehensive databaseof local producers and suppliers.LOCAL HOTELS, RESTAURANTSAND SHOPSThe food experts on your doorstep.SOURCINGSCOTTISHFOOD&DRINKPRODUCER GROUPS AND FOODNETWORKSProducers working together to offer a rangeof food and drink through one source.FARMERS’ MARKETSThe food success story of the last 10 years.PROFESSIONAL CATERERSLet the professionals help you.6

HOW TO SOURCE LOCAL, SCOTTISH PRODUCESCOTLANDFOOD & DRINKFREE TO ACCESS BUYERS’ GUIDE TO OVER 1,300 LOCAL SCOTTISH PRODUCERSScotland Food & Drink is the leadershiporganisation for the food and drink industryin Scotland. It aims to grow the value of theindustry to £12.5billion by 2017 and build Scotland‘sreputation as a ‘Land of Food and Drink’.SF&D’s website www.scotlandfoodanddrink.orgincludes a free to access Buyers’ Guide to over 1,300Scottish producers. You can search this Buyers’ Guideby area or food sector to source fantastic Scottishproduce from across the country.In the past, Scotland Food & Drink has given helpand advice to event organisers, working with eventsas diverse as the World Pipe Band Championships inGlasgow and Orkney International Science Festival toenhance the appeal and profitability of their food anddrink offer.For more information about Scotland Food & Drinkand how it can help your event, visit the website atwww.scotlandfoodanddrink.org or email Fiona Richmondat fiona.richmond@scotlandfoodanddrink.org.The website offers a one-stop-shop for informationon producers and suppliers across Scotland and anew showcase featuring event-ready producers hasalso been developed. Other SF&D projects whichcan benefit your business or event include Access toMarkets and INSIGHTS.7

HOW TO SOURCE LOCAL, SCOTTISH PRODUCELOCAL HOTELS,RESTAURANTSANDSHOPSOften the best help in enhancing yourevent’s catering offer is available right onyour doorstep, through the support oflocal businesses who sell food and drink every dayof the week.Details of such businesses can usually be easilyaccessed through Local Authorities, Chambers ofCommerce, Traders Associations and other localnetworks. You can contact businesses through apersonal approach, advertising or editorial coveragein local media, or by taking up recommendationsfrom other event organisers or local people.Fringe by the Sea is a week-long festival of comedy,music, literature and film that has taken place in NorthBerwick during August for the past four years. It nowattracts over 7,000 visitors a year to its five venues.In 2011, the event organisers set up a food marqueeat North Berwick Harbour where visitors were offeredtasty local produce prepared and served by theWaterside Bistro, a local restaurant. Dishes rangedfrom hog roast rolls with crackling and homemadeapple sauce to strawberries and cream.The local Belhaven Brewery provided headlinesponsorship for the festival and worked with localbar, The Ship Inn, to offer an excellent range of localbeers, as well as local ciders from Thistly Cross, in aSpiegeltent close to the food marquee.In addition, the Scottish Seabird Centre, NorthBerwick’s most popular visitor attraction, hosted aCabaret Cafe with catering provided by their ownin-house team, who work with numerous localsuppliers and producers as a matter of policy.The result was a range of outlets professionally runby experienced local businesses who provided highquality, local food and drink that helped to createa festival-style atmosphere. The Fringe by the Seaorganisers are now planning a range of new facilitiesand activities for future years to make food and drinkan even stronger selling point of the festival.Further details of Fringe by the Sea can be found atwww.fringebythesea.co.uk.8

HOW TO SOURCE LOCAL, SCOTTISH PRODUCEPRODUCER GROUPSAND FOOD NETWORKSFor many event organisers,one of the easiest ways toprovide good quality localfood and drink is through workingwith one of Scotland’s many localproducer groups and foodnetworks, which bring producerstogether to work in partnership.Such groups and networks enableevent organisers to work with avariety of local producers throughone central contact.The first Rewind Scotland musicfestival was held at Scone Palace,Perth in 2011. Having previouslyrun a number of Rewind festivalsin England, the organisers knewthe type of visitor they would attractto hear top name, eighties musicacts and set out to offer them awide variety of “Posh Nosh” andtheme bars.Rewind Scotland worked closelywith Perthshire Farmers andProducers, which was establishedby Jim Fairlie and Anne McGhee ofJimFairlie@Logiealmond in 2010.Jim and Anne recognised theopportunities to sell their produceto visitors enjoying the growingnumber of events taking placeacross Perthshire and broughttogether other top local producersto attend events as diverse as theT in the Park music festival, theETAP Caledonia cycle race andthe European televised Rally ofScotland.Jim and Anne worked with awardwinning local chef, Graeme Pallisterof 63 Tay Street, to developinnovative menus for these eventsthat included dishes like Shepherd’sPie with minted peas, spicy beefbroth, Moroccan lamb sausage andbeef and mutton steak pies – allusing and promoting produce fromJim and Anne’s own farm and otherPerthshire suppliers.There are producers groups andfood networks all over Scotland. TheScottish Agricultural College haveproduced a “Food Networks Guide”,which can be downloaded athttp://www.sac.ac.uk/mainrep/pdfs/foodnetworksguide.pdf.9

HOW TO SOURCE LOCAL, SCOTTISH PRODUCEFARMERS’MARKETSThe growth in popularity of farmers’ markets hasbeen one of the success stories of Scottish foodand drink, demonstrating the increasing publicinterest in Scottish produce and its origins. Over fiftyregular markets are now held across Scotland fromLangholm to Lerwick, and many of them work activelywith local events to showcase their produce to wideraudiences.Huntly Hairst Food & Farming Festival grew out of alocal Halloween festival and is now held on the firstweekend in September. It incorporates guided walks,bike trails, crafts, live music and quirky fun events likea Pigeon Plucking Contest and the World StovieChampionship.The regular Huntly Farmers’ Market is a show pieceelement of the Hairst and the Farmers’ MarketAssociation is one of its main sponsors. Several of theHairst organisers are regular stall holders at the marketand, during the Hairst, the market expands to a total ofalmost 40 producers selling everything from handmadechocolates to game pies.The Farmers’ Market is complimented by a separateFood Demonstration Tent and a Craft Market, as wellas a host of food related events in imaginative venuesacross the town. The weekend ends with a gourmetsupper cooked by a guest chef using produce fromthe market.Huntly Hairst aims to promote the links between thefood we eat and the landscape and place it comesfrom. Food writer, Joanna Blythman, visited the Hairstin 2008 and described Huntly as “turning itself intoa food lover’s destination” with the farmers’ market,“a persuasive showcase for the staggeringly highqualityproduce this area has to offer”. Moreinformation is available at www.huntlyhairst.co.uk.Details of farmers’ markets in your area can be foundon the Scottish Association of Farmers’ Marketswebsite at www.scottishfarmersmarkets.co.uk.10

HOW TO SOURCE LOCAL, SCOTTISH PRODUCEPROFESSIONALCATERERSMany event organisers prefer to contractprofessional caterers to handle all aspects oftheir food and drink offer. This enables themto concentrate on organising their event secure in theknowledge that experienced professionals will makesure their visitors enjoy top quality produce.Prestige Scotland is one such professional caterer,who works with events and event venues as diverseas The Open Championship, Glamis Castle andHampden Park Stadium.Stephen Frost is Prestige Scotland’s Executive Chefand a passionate enthusiast about the quality ofScottish food and drink. He says,“Every event is different and can require differenttypes of catering for different types of visitors. At theScottish Open Championship we can be workingwith suppliers to feed tens of thousands of spectatorswanting something quick, informal but tasty as theyfollow the golfers round the course, or a dozencorporate hospitality guests who sit down for a fewhours to enjoy a fine dining experience.“Events need to know their customers and the typeof food and drink they will want. However, we do findthat most event organisers actively want somethingScottish on their menus.“There are opportunities for producers to sell theirproduce to professional event caterers and we wantto work with the very best suppliers who appreciatethe high standards we require. It can take up to a yearof discussions for us to include a new producer to ourlist of suppliers, but we value close, long term workingrelationships with quality producers of all sizes”.Further details about Prestige Scotland, includinghow to work in partnership with them, can be foundat http://www.prestigescotland.co.uk/corporate/default.aspx.11

EVENTS AND PRODUCERS WORKING TOGETHERWHAT FOOD AND DRINKWORKS FOR YOUR EVENT?As an event organiser, you must be guided bythe people who come to your event. You needto know as much as possible about them. Youwant to know details like:• How many people come to your event?(500, 5,000,50,000?)• What kind of people are they?(couples, families, teenagers, “mature” people?)• Where do they come from?(local residents, people holidaying in the localarea, people from outwith the local area?)• Why do they come to your event?(specific interest, just looking for entertainment,happen to be passing by?)• What kind of food and drink you need to offer?(Will visitors want hot food to eat on site, coldprepared food to take away, or a mix of both? Ifyou attract a lot of families, what kinds of food anddrink do you need to provide for children?)• How can you best present your food and drink offer?(Could you bring all food and drink stands togetherin a “Food Village” area? Should you spread foodand drink stands throughout your event site?)Once you have clarified these issues in your ownmind, you’re ready to provide information to attractproducers and caterers to your event.• How long do they stay at your event?(1 hour, half a day, a whole day, longer?)Customer information such as this can help youto decide:• How many food and drink outlets do you needto provide on-site?(The more visitors you attract and the longer theystay at your event, the more outlets you are likelyto need)12

EVENTS AND PRODUCERS WORKING TOGETHERDRAWING UP ASPECIFICATIONOnce you know what your customers arelikely to want, you are ready to draw up aSpecification for producers and caterersat your event. This should advise them about theopportunities to participate in your event, what youcan provide for them and what they need to do tobook a stand or space. A specification could include:• Background to the event – visitor numbers, typesof visitors, length of visitor stay etc.• Food and drink priorities for your event – hot foodeaten on site, pre-prepared food to take away, localproduce, healthy options, children’s menus, uniqueproducts etc.• The number of catering outlets you will permitat your event and where they will be located –producers and caterers will want to quantify theirbusiness opportunity.• If possible, indicative figures for typical gross takingsat catering outlets at your event (based on pastevents) – provides helpful guidance for newproducers/caterers.• Costs of catering stands – will you charge a flat standfee or operate on a commission on sales basis(normally 20-30% commission)? Will a commissionagreement be linked to a minimum guaranteepayment to the event organiser (a common practice)?• Costs of support infrastructure such as power andwater – include technical details of what can besupplied e.g. 32 Amp Single Phase power supply,communal or dedicated standpipes for water etc.• Payment terms – when should producers/caterersmake pre and post event payments?• How producers/caterers should apply to attend yourevent – do you have Registration Forms you wantthem to fill in? What backup documentation do yourequire in terms of licences, certificates etc? How doyou want to receive applications – email, post etc?• Timescales for submitting applications to attendyour event and for responding to applications andissuing contracts.• Sizes and types of catering stands available –different types of producers/caterers will needdifferent sizes and types of stands. Someonecooking on-site will probably need more spacethan someone selling cold, pre-prepared produce.13

EVENTS AND PRODUCERS WORKING TOGETHERIT’S GOOD TO TALK(AND LISTEN)Good communication is key to successfulpartnerships between event organisersand producers/caterers. An event organisercan maximise the impact of a local produce offer byproviding the producer/caterer with clear adviceand guidance on what will happen and what to doduring the event. This could include guidance onissues such as:• When stand holders can get access to the event siteto set up.• What accreditation they will require to be allowedon to the site – you may want to provide passes inadvance of the event.• How many vehicles they will be allowed on site todeliver stock and where they can be parked duringthe event – it is normally helpful to allow at least onevehicle to be parked close to each stand.• When facilities such as power and water will beswitched on.• What equipment you require producers/caterers tobring with them – for example, if you are offeringstand space on a commission basis, you may requiretills that record sales.• What kinds of promotional materials are likely tobe most effective for producer stands – banners,A-frame menu boards etc.• What arrangements are in place for waste removaland recycling.• How you expect stand holders to tidy up at the endof the event – you may want to draw up an EventWaste Policy.• When final payments should be made after the event.This level of planning can appear daunting, butrisks and challenges can be overcome by clear andtimely two-way communication. Talk, listen, negotiateand agree.• What feedback you will request from stand holdersafter the event – you may have a standard surveyform that you ask them to complete.14

PLANNINGYOUR EVENTIF YOU WANT TO RUN A SUCCESSFUL EVENT, YOU WILL NEED A CLEAREVENT PLAN OUTLINING YOUR AIMS AND OBJECTIVES AND YOU WILLNEED TO FULFIL CERTAIN LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, WHICH ARE DESIGNEDTO PROTECT YOU AND YOUR CUSTOMERS.Here are some of the things you will need to do.ENSURE YOU HAVE ALL RELEVANT LICENCESLicensing requirements will vary with each type ofevent but could include a Liquor Licence, a StreetTraders Licence, a Market Operators Licence andpermission for Road Closures. Your Local Authoritycan advise on which licences your event will need.But don’t leave it to the last minutes. It can take upto 10 weeks for licence applications to be processedand approved.BE AWARE OF LEGAL REQUIREMENTSAgain, these will vary with each type of event and yourLocal Authority Environmental Services Departmentwill be able to provide guidance. You can probablyexpect to need to cover legislation in areas such asFood Hygiene, Health & Safety at Work, Fire Safetyand Disability Discrimination.CARRY OUT A RISK ASSESSMENTThe importance of this cannot be over-stated,but risk assessment need not be overly complex.The Health and Safety Executive provide clearand concise guidance on risk assessments atwww.hse.gov.uk/risk/index.htm.HAVE ADEQUATE INSURANCE IN PLACEYou should always have public liability insurance tocover you against any claims made by visitors to yourevent. You may also want insurance cover for propertyand equipment and for cancellation or abandonment.Contact your insurance broker well in advance andaim to have all insurances in place at least 2-3 monthsbefore your event.Any contractors or caterers you work with shouldalso carry out their own risk assessments and youshould ask for copies of these.15

PLANNINGYOUR EVENTWASTE MANAGEMENTAND SANITATIONEvents can have a big impact on theenvironment and food waste can beparticularly messy. You need tominimise this. Your Local AuthorityEnvironment Services will be ableto advise and assist you in areassuch as waste management andrecycling and may be able supplyfacilities like litter bins and recyclingpoints. They can also help withclean water supplies, drainage,toilet provision etc. Again, liaisewith Environment Services well inadvance of your event and beaware that there will be costs towaste management and sanitationfacilities.MAKE YOUR EVENT ASGREEN AS POSSIBLEMore and more people are takingan active interest in environmentalissues and you can make yourcontribution to environmentalprotection by making your event asgreen as possible. EventScotlandprovide guidance and ideas ondeveloping greener events atwww.eventscotland.org/fundingand-resources/greener-events/MONITOR AND EVALUATEYOUR EVENTHow will you know if people haveenjoyed your event and the foodand drink on offer if you don’t askthem? Evaluation will give youinformation that you can use todevelop your event, attract newproducers and caterers, andgenerate support from localcommunities and funding agencies.Tourism Intelligence Scotlandhave produced “Listening ToOur Visitors”, a practical guide toevaluation that can be downloadedfor free by registering atwww.tourism-intelligence.co.uk.16

NOWTELL THE WORLD!CELEBRATE YOUR USEOF SCOTTISH FOOD ANDDRINK. IT’S SOMETHINGTO BE PROUD OF. DON’TBE SHY. SHOUT IT FROMTHE HILLTOPS.You’ve done all the rightthings to ensure yourvisitors are offered topquality local, Scottish food anddrink at your event.• You’ve planned in advance.• You’ve invited local producersto take part in your event.• You’ve obtained all the necessarylicences and insurances.THERE’S ONE MORE THING TODO. TELL YOUR VISITORS ABOUTYOUR FOOD AND DRINK. DON’TKEEP IT A SECRET.Research carried out by ScottishEnterprise through the ExperiencingScotland initiative shows that, whilemost tourism operators do providequality local Scottish produce,many forget to tell their customersabout it.Visitors want to know the storiesbehind the food and drink they areenjoying. They want to know whereit comes from and how it got totheir plate or glass.17You can add to your visitors’enjoyment of your event by:• Highlighting your event’s foodand drink offer on all promotionalmaterials including websites,tweets and media releases. Thatmight tempt a few more peoplealong.• Highlighting local produce onevent signage, menu boards andon-site promotional media.• Encouraging producers topromote their participation inyour event to their customersand to bring along their ownpromotional materials that visitorscan take away with them.• Making sure staff and volunteersare geared up to answerquestions about the local foodand drink on offer.

TASTEFUL EVENTSWORLD PIPE BANDCHAMPIONSHIPSThe 2011 World Pipe BandChampionships were heldin Glasgow in August andattracted 35,000 spectators and8,000 pipers and drummers from12 countries.The organisers recognised thattheir event has a distinctly Scottishflavour that they wanted reflectedin the food and drink it offered tovisitors and competitors.The Championships worked withthe Federation of Chefs Scotlandand Scotland Food & Drink tocreate a Flavour of Scotland areawhere, to quote the event website,“top local chefs will take to thestage to prepare inspirational,traditional dishes in partnershipwith local producers.”The Food from Argyll producersgroup helped to set up a TraditionalScottish Food Market where topquality producers sold a variety ofculinary delights including LochFyne Oysters, Kingcross Pork andWinston Churchill Venison. Besidethe food market was a Real Ale Barand Whisky Bar stocked and staffedby Fyne Ales and SpringbankDistillery.A final innovation was the Flavourof Scotland Food Theatre, wherefive top Scottish chefs showcasedrecipes using produce from Foodfrom Argyll in demonstrations heldthroughout the day from 1000 to1600. Recipes included BraisedShin of Beef with Vegetables, WildMushroom Risotto Cake and RoastShellfish Spaghetti. Even better,visitors were able to sample thedishes after each demonstration.The World Pipe BandChampionships demonstrate howlocal Scottish food and drink canbe used to add to the flavour andenjoyment of a uniquely Scottishevent. Full details on theChampionships can be foundat www.theworlds.co.uk.18

TASTEFUL EVENTSORKNEY INTERNATIONALSCIENCE FESTIVALOrkney International ScienceFestival first took place in1991, making it the world’ssecond science festival. The Festivalis held in early September – thesame time as Scottish Food andDrink Fortnight. Therefore, therewas an obvious opportunity to linkup with Orkney’s many high qualityproducers to provide festival visitorswith unique flavours of the islands.Links with local producers havedeveloped over the years andScotland Food & Drink haveprovided active support to enhancethe food and drink elements of theFestival for the 3,500 attendees.Food plays an important role fromthe very outset of the Festival asthe official opening incorporatesan Islands Produce Buffet.Thereafter, a daily One O’ClockToast celebrates an Orcadianscience pioneer with an Orkneyfare lunch. Other events include anOld Orkney Banquet that includesdelicacies like Arctic char, NorthRonaldsay mutton and Orkneyfudge cheesecake; a “Bere, Beerand Boardhouse” bus tour thatvisits a local mill and brewery; anda tour of Highland Park – the mostnortherly distillery in Scotland.Local hotels and restaurants offerOrkney fare throughout the weekof the Festival to ensure that visitorshave both their minds and tastebuds fully stimulated.Orkney International ScienceFestival demonstrates howquality local food and drink cancomplement and enhance an eventthat, at first glance, has little to dowith eating and drinking. However,imaginative programming andeffective partnership working hasmade local produce a valuable partof the Festival experience. Log onto www.oisf.org for full details.19

TASTEFUL EVENTSBAXTERS LOCH NESSMARATHON ANDFESTIVAL OF RUNNINGBaxters Loch Ness Marathon and Festival ofRunning is a mass participation event thatattracts over 8,300 runners from 32 differentcountries and an additional 10,000 spectators. 2011was the event’s 10th anniversary and it has grownto incorporate a River Ness 10K, a 10k CorporateChallenge, a 5K Fun Run and a Wee Nessie Run forpre-school children.The internationally renowned Scottish food company,Baxters, provide title sponsorship for the event andhost a Pasta Party on the evening before the marathon,where participants can enjoy a carbohydrate packedmeal, dance to a local band and get fully prepared withthe help of on-hand physios.Scotland’s Highland Spring, are the event’s officialwater sponsor supplying drink stations throughoutthe Marathon and 10K routes. Lucozade Sport are theofficial energy drink sponsor and also provide energydrinks along the route.In 2010, the event received support fromEventScotland’s International Events Programme andmoved to a new, larger finish area at Inverness’ BughtPark, where a dozen local producers took part in aHighlands Food & Drink Fayre showcasing the best oflocal produce through tastings, demonstrations andby selling their ready-to-eat produce to the public.The Baxters Food & Drink Fayre has now become anintegral, core element of the event.Baxters Loch Ness Marathon & Festival of Runningraises funds for over 40 charities including many localcommunity groups and is an example of an eventworking with food and drink companies who recognisethe sponsorship advantages of being associated withan international event attracting so many people. Fulldetails can be found at www.lochnessmarathon.com.20

TASTEFUL EVENTSDUNDEE FLOWER ANDFOOD FESTIVALIn the beginning, Dundee Flower Festival was ahorticultural event where participants competed towin prizes and go forward to national horticulturalshows. In the 90s, the organisers recognised thegrowing interest in food and eating and decided tocombine the Flower Festival with a food event.As a result, the Festival has grown into a three-dayevent that now attracts 1,000 exhibitors, 200 tradestalls, 60 food and drink producers and up to 25,000visitors, two thirds of whom travel from outsideDundee. High profile celebrity chefs take part in athree day programme of free cookery demonstrationsthat complement and add to the appeal of the flowerdisplays and the presence of celebrity gardeners.best raspberry jam. This attracted entries from aroundthe world and was won by Trisha Gagnon from BritishColumbia.Dundee Flower & Food Festival shows how an eventcan grow in appeal through innovative use of food anddrink and the on-going introduction of new elements.Log on to www.dundeeflowerandfoodfestival.com formore information.The Festival is very active in developing partnershipswith local schools and features a children’s activitymarquee with over 800 exhibits. In 2011, the Festivalworked with the historic Dundee Bakers Trade to runcompetitions with college students and secondaryschool pupils.In 2010, support from EventScotland enabled theFestival to introduce The Heritage Kitchen, a dedicatedarea showcasing the best of local produce. In 2011,the Festival hosted the first World Jampionships – ajoint promotion with Blairgowrie & East PerthshireLove to Eat project, which aimed to find the world’s21

HELP ATHANDTHERE ARE MANY SOURCES OF HELP, ADVICE AND SUPPORT IF YOU AREPLANNING OR ORGANISING AN EVENT. HERE ARE BRIEF DETAILS OF JUSTSOME OF THEM.EVENTSCOTLANDThe national eventsagency works to buildScotland’s reputationas a leading destinationfor sporting and culturalevents. It’s NationalEvents Programme offersinvestment and supportto events that take placeoutside Edinburgh andGlasgow, and it’s“Event Management –A Practical Guide”publication is a step-by-step guide to all aspectsof event planning, organisation, management andmarketing. It can be downloaded free of chargeat http://www.eventscotland.org/funding-andresources/event-planning-resources/eventmanagement-a-practical-guide/EXPERIENCING SCOTLANDThis national initiative is funded and managed byScottish Enterprise and provides detailed researchinformation on the opportunities to increase visitorspend on food and drink through local sourcing. Italso offers one-to-one diagnostic support to eligibleevents and tourism operators to help them enhancetheir food and drink offer. Full details are available atwww.scottish-enterprise.com/your-sector/food-anddrink/foodanddrink-how-we-can-help/experiencingscotland.aspx.SCOTLAND FOOD & DRINK (SF&D)The www.scotlandfoodanddrink.org website offersa Buyers’ Guide, a showcase featuring event-readyproducers and full information on the INSIGHTS andAccess to Markets programmes.SF&D manage Scottish Food & Drink Fortnightwhich takes place every September. Visitwww.scottishfoodanddrinkfortnight.co.uk for fullinformation and ways in which participation canbenefit your business or event.TOURISM INTELLIGENCE SCOTLAND (TIS)This national initiativeprovides a host ofinformation and practicalguides about differentmarket opportunitiesfor Scottish tourism.TIS have produced twoguides on “Food & DrinkExperience in Scotland”and “At Your Service –A Practical Guide to Delivering the Best Food andDrink Experience in Scotland”. These are packed withmarket intelligence, practical insights and top tips, andcan be downloaded free by registering on the TISwebsite at www.tourism-intelligence.co.uk.22

LOCAL AUTHORITIESMany Local Authorities have dedicated Events Officerswho can provide support and guidance and, in somecases, funding. A number of authorities have produceddetailed Event Planning Guides that outline all thedifferent things you should think about and give keylocal contacts. If you want to check how your LocalAuthority can help your event, log on to their website.Most sites have a search facility on their home page.Type in “Event Planning” to access information onwhat support is available in your local area.FOOD ACCREDITATION SCHEMESThere are a number of foodquality assurance schemesmanaged by Scottish FoodQuality Certification,including Quality MeatScotland, Scottish QualityCereals and the ScottishOrganic ProducersAssociation. These provide independent qualityguarantees and event organisers may want to insiston producers providing relevant food qualitycertification. Full details of these schemes can befound at www.sfqc.co.uk.PROVENANCE ON A PLATEThis Scottish Government initiative provides a toolkitto clarify legal requirements and best practiceguidelines for food and drink origin information onmenus etc. This toolkit can help event organisersprovide clear and accurate information that assistsvisitors to make informed decisions about what theyeat. The toolkit can be downloaded atwww.provenanceonaplate.co.uk.EATSCOTLANDEatScotland is a national food accreditation schemerun by VisitScotland that recognises and promotesfood and drink businesses offering excellence andquality. VisitScotland’s Food and Drink website atwww.visitscotland.com/foodanddrink features all theplaces that have achieved EatScotland accreditation. Itis a helpful source of information on all aspects of foodand drink in Scotland and can assist event organisers tosource local caterers, hotels and restaurants with whomthey could work.NATIONAL CATERERS ASSOCIATION (NCASS)The NCASS website incorporates a database ofcaterers, most of whom operate mobile units thatattend public events. This database can be searchedby region and has almost 60 Scottish contacts. Thewebsite also has an Event Organiser Area that provideshelpful guidance on working with professionalcaterers. The site can be accessed at www.ncass.org.uk.23