Newton Stewart & Minnigaff festival nominated for national award
7 Nov 22
by Nathon Jones
MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards
Voting is now open for the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards, and Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival has only gone and been nominated for Event of the Year (sponsored by VisitScotland)! Wow! Vote now and show your support for one of the best trad festivals in Scotland.
Popular annual MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards (Na Trads), celebrating its 20th anniversary and which recently won a Royal Society of Television Award with MG ALBA & production company BEEZR TV, is set to take the stage with its first full-sized event post lockdown in a spectacular once-in-a-generation night to remember, including the Youth Music Initiative, which also celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Broadcast in partnership with headline sponsor MG ALBA on BBC ALBA the awards ceremony, which takes place at Caird Hall in Dundee City Centre on Sunday 4th December, will feature live performances from Elephant Sessions, FARA, Trip, the Eryn Rae Trio (BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award Winner 2022 and who recently performed at The Vault Arts Centre at this year's Autumn Trad festival), the Gordon Shand Scottish Dance Band, The Auldeners, St. Roch’s Irish Minstrels and Tayside Young Fiddlers, plus a Tribute to James Alexander, Fochabers fiddle teacher and performer, from his former pupils.
Organiser and Awards Founder Simon Thoumire of Hands Up For Trad said, “In difficult times bands are getting back out on the road and filling venues across the world, bringing joy to people, and it’s great to be back to celebrate this and showcase all the work that has been taking place to fill people’s lives with music, whilst also remembering that we need to support our clubs and venues.”
Margaret Cameron, Director of Content at MG ALBA said, “It is always a pleasure to see the incredible wealth of talent we have in the world of Scottish traditional music showcased on BBC ALBA, and there are few nights better than Na Trads for doing just that. The 20th anniversary celebration will be a night to remember.”
Ealasaid MacDonald, Director of Strategy & External Affairs at MG ALBA, said: “MG ALBA are extremely proud to sponsor these awards, and we cannot wait to attend the first post lockdown event to celebrate 20 spectacular years of Na Trads. It’s been a very difficult couple of years for the music industry in Scotland and that’s what makes this recognition for all the impressive innovation and collaboration all the more important.”
To vote, simply click on the button below and please note that you do not need to vote in every category, although we'd highly recommend that you do, if you can, as there are some fantastic nominees again this year. Voting closes on Sunday 20th November at midnight.
Congratulations to all the nominees and best of luck to everyone involved! Most of all though, a huge thanks to the communities of Newton Stewart & Minnigaff for their support and to all the festival go-ers, performing artists, crew, volunteers and Board of Trustees of Trad Music Trust for making the event so special.
VOTE NOW