Winter Festival is a wrap until next year

Oban’s Winter Festival is ready for well-earned hibernation after ten days of sparkle and fun lighting up the town.

Oban High School Pipe Band played at the start of the Winter festival’s Haggis and Whisky event at Oban Distillery.
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Festival organisers and supporters pulled off yet another success, drawing in visitors from near and far who headed into Oban as a warm-up for the start of the Christmas season’s festivities.

Douglas Scott marches the Golden Haggis trophy into the forecourt of Oban Distillery with judges William Rocks from Tigh An Truish, left, and Colin Felgate from the Olive Garden Restaurant.
Photograph: Kevin McGlynn
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Organisers said Oban was as busy as in the summer season, with people filling the streets.

“It was fabulous. The town looked like it does on a summer day with visitors when you looked down the streets. It proves the festival is a crowd-puller. It was noticeable at the Winter Woods that lots of people had come from out of town especially to see it. It was just amazing. Late-night shopping was busy, so that was also good to hear. Everyone enjoyed themselves – that’s always the main thing. It was hard work for the volunteers and supporters but it paid off,” said one of the organisers.

On parade, Masterchef UK’s William Rocks was one of the Golden Haggis Award judges.
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One of the last events in the packed programme was the Haggis and Whisky Festival on Sunday at Oban Distillery with Oban High School Pipe Band taking part.

Whitecoats on and volunteers ready to dish up the haggis tasters for the People’s Choice Award.
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Visitors queued to get into the judging room at Oban Distillery to get tasters and vote for their best haggis.

Haggis judges, from left, William Rocks, Douglas Scott and Colin Felgate at the 2023 Haggis and Whisky Festival.
Photograph: Kevin McGlynn
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Judges were Masterchef UK’s William Rocks from Seil’s Tigh An Truish and the Olive Garden’s Colin Felgate, with Douglas Scott, who had the task of giving their professional verdicts on who would win.

Isla McClure enjoys some haggis at Oban Distillery.
Photograph: Kevin McGlynn
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Once the votes were in, the top haggis makers were revealed with the People’s Choice award going to Jason Rendall from Rendalls Online Butchers in Stirling and the Golden Haggis Award being presented to Sean Gibson from Dale Traditional Butchers, Kirby, Lonsdale in Cumbria.

Douglas Scott with winner of the People’s Choice Award Jason Rendall from Rendalls Online Butchers in Stirling, winner of the Golden Haggis Award Sean Gibson from Dale Traditional Butchers in Cumbria’s Kirby standing next to Tony MacLean, manager of Oban Distillery.
Photograph: Kevin McGlynn
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Sean, who has been making haggis for about 15 years, says he will be back to defend his title next year.

Budding photographer Morgan Bruce, 12, takes ‘a shot’ of whisky. The youngster has enjoyed all the different photo opportunities throughout the Winter Festival and this was one of them.
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“I’ve taken the Golden Haggis Award out of Scotland, that’s quite a claim to fame! I tasted all of the competition entries and enjoyed everyone of them. They were all a bit different. We came in 2019 and finished runner-up. We’ll definitely be back in 2024 to see if we can hold on to the title.

Vicki and Simon Rae travelled from Glasgow for a taste of Oban’s Winter Festival and were not disappointed – especially by the haggis and whisky.
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“I had a great weekend in Oban, everyone was very friendly. It was well worth the trip. We do well with our haggis down here but we’ve definitely sold a few more than usual on the back of our win in Oban.”