Winter Droving wins Highly Commended, Tourism Event of the Year 2018
The Winter Droving has been awarded highly commended at the Cumbria Tourism Awards 2018 announced at the prestigious awards ceremony on Wednesday evening at what proved to be a fantastic year for Penrith and Eden.
‘We are absolutely delighted that this fantastic event has been recognized in the County as one of the stand out events of 2017’ says Adrian Lochhead, Director of Eden Arts, ‘it faced some tough competition but an event like the Winter Droving, that really speaks to the community and also attracts a huge number of visitors to the area deserves the recognition it received at this years awards. The 2018 event will be even bigger and better than ever before!”
Kevin Beaty, Leader of Eden District Council, said "I was not at all surprised when the Winter Droving was announced as receiving a highly commended award last night. The quality and content of this event is of huge benefit to Penrith and Eden and attracts a significant amount of visitors each year showcasing the town in the best possible way. I look forward to seeing what the Winter Droving has in store in 2018".
The Winter Droving, now in its 7th year, has been a finalist in Tourism Event of the Year category for the last 2 years and continues to grow in quality, content and visitor numbers each year. Every year Penrith comes alive with fire, light, music, animal masked performers and participants, food and carefully crafted mayhem. The Winter Droving is a celebration of agricultural heritage and carnival and is embedded in the local imagination.
This year the Winter Droving will be taking place on Saturday 27th October in Penrith and will expand into Middlegate with the exciting addition of the Crafty Vintage market bringing vintage, retro, collectibles and handmade wares with a quirky twist. There will also be an additional stage in the area carrying on the vintage vibe and offering visitors an even bigger area to explore throughout the day.
Sustainability will also be at the heart of the event this year with reusable cups encouraged and single use plastics discouraged. Traders will not be using plastic bags and will be using sustainably sourced or compostable serve-ware.
The day will culminate in the magical torch lit procession through the town offering visitors the opportunity to participate in a truly spectacular sight. As part of the procession Eden Arts are seeking schools, colleges and theatre and dance groups to dress up and perform adding an element of interaction and intrigue to the proceedings.
The 2017 event saw 20,000 visitors to Penrith and brought £1.3 million to the local economy. The event is supported by Arts Council England, Penrith BID, Penrith Town Council, Pride in Penrith Lottery and AST Signs alongside many other local business sponsors.
Heather Walker, Deputy Director, Eden Arts said “We are keen to hear from businesses who would like to associate their brand with an award winning event. By supporting events like this, businesses are helping to make the town and district a vibrant place to live for both their existing and future employees.”
