Haddo Visions
29 Sep 2016
It's been a year of planning but we're just about ready for the launch of this year's Haddo Arts Festival on Saturday.
Elaine and I have been in the Pheasantry all day framing and hanging (and brushing and moping!) and we're just about ready for our Haddo Visions Photography Competition Exhibition (next year we're giving it a shorter title) to open on Saturday lunchtime.
We had some incredibly high quality entries and some really deserving winners, with photos taken here at Haddo, and then across Aberdeenshire from Banff to Stonehaven. We'll be announcing our winners and handing out the prizes at Saturday lunchtime, winners will be on show in the Pheasantry 12-4pm on Saturday 1st and 10am-4pm from Sunday 2nd-Sunday 9th.
Huge thanks to HAF for running the competition and to Meldrum House Hotel for generously donating our grand prize.
After that it's up to the Peatyards for the opening reception and launch (invites only) and then the sold our performance by Haddo House Choral and Operatic Society.
Our art curator Paul Ritchie is busy setting up this year's exhibition in the Peatyards, featuring his own paintings and etchings as well as sculpture and painting from our guest artists. The exhibition is open during evening performances, and during the day on Sun 2nd and Sat 8th.
Several of our performances have already sold out but here's a Sunday lunchtime concert with tenor and Radio Scotland presenter Jamie MacDougal, Chopin by Candlelight with pianist Piers Lane, Aberdeenshire soundscapes in Haddo Chapel with Peter Stollery still available.
Tickets and more info online at haddoartsfestival.org.uk
Planet Botanica
We've also got some temporary outdoor art in place for the Festival week- Planet Botanica by Jemima Chillingworth- in the trees between the car park and the stables courtyard.
Tattie Holidays
We’re not far away from the October break and there's plenty on at Haddo to keep the kids busy while they're not at school. We've got our next Sunday Playtime on the morning of the 9th, Search for a Squirrel walk on October 13th and Wild Art in the Park with Petra on the 19th.
The holidays end with our night-time Halloween magic (we've just booked a smoke machine, which is very exciting…) on Friday 21st and Sunday 23rd.
For the grown-ups (and older children) there's a Fungi Foray with Grampian Fungus Group on Saturday 15th October and our 2016 photography courses- including the chance to photograph our amazing Halloween lights with some expert advice to help you with the shots- on Saturday 22nd and Sunday23rd.
Just click on Events above for more details.
Finally
It's Red Squirrel Week this week, so here's a little video taken last week of our Reds busy at the squirrel hide. If you want to see them for yourself then book on our Search For A Squirrel walk, or try early mornings around the hide...