The Fringe is back! If you’re a little bit confused by that statement then we should clarify – we’re not talking about Edinburgh Festival Fringe this time. The Stirling Fringe is back for its 2nd year and it has a fantastic programme lined up. As well as providing some great nights out, there’s also a more serious aim to the Fringe: boosting the local Stirling economy and Stirling jobs. We spoke to organiser Barry McDonald to discover more about this exciting Scottish festival.
Can you tell us more about Stirling Fringe and how long the event has been running for?
This is our second year and it follows a successful four day ‘taster’ festival last year. This year we’ve increased the festival to 10 days and it features 50 events in 20 venues across Stirling. As Scotland’s ‘other’ Fringe we’ve programmed events which appeal to everyone, including locals and visitors. Our events range from music, theatre and comedy, to kids’ shows, poetry, art and even a street food festival.
How did you get involved?
The festival was my idea. As a former journalist and PR consultant, a lot of my work was based in Edinburgh during Fringe time. I noticed thousands of people from Stirling travelling through to Edinburgh every day and thought: ‘There must be a huge appetite for an arts festival in Stirling.’ I spoke to a few people in Stirling about the prospect of starting a Fringe festival and the reaction was incredibly positive. It’s now become my main job.
As well as yourself, how many people are involved in running the Fringe?
We run the festival entirely with volunteers – from students to retired people. In total there are around 15 volunteers who help with every aspect of the festival but there are usually just two of us in the office.
Do you think the event will provide a boost to jobs in Stirling?
One of the aims of the Stirling Fringe is to attract visitors to the area and increase the nighttime economy. As the festival grows each year there is a greater spend in the city and therefore more employment opportunities. And as we grow, we’re looking to recruit some more people.
Can you pick out a few particular highlights for us?
I think we’ve done a great job attracting some first class musicians to the festival this year and three of the shows I’m personally looking forward to are performances from Scottish acts The Pictish Trail and Emma Pollock, and a Swedish folk group called Lyy. As a father of a young daughter, I’ll probably be forced to go to all the kids’ shows as well! Our final event, which coincides with the end of the Ryder Cup, is a huge ceilidh. That should also be a highlight as many of the Ryder Cup guests are staying in Stirling.
Do you have any advice for people looking to get involved in event management?
The best advice would be to get as much practical experience as possible. There is no substitute to getting hands-on experience of running an event. I learn something new every day. And try to gain experience of as many roles as possible – everything from marketing and admin to working behind the bar and selling tickets. There are countless events in Scotland which would welcome volunteers to help out. It’s probably why we have so many event management students as volunteers.
Thank you to Barry for speaking to us. Stirling Fringe started on September 19th and runs until Sunday the 28th of September. It’s a welcome addition to Scotland’s events calendar, as well as encouraging growth in terms of jobs in Stirling. The city’s central location also makes the Stirling Fringe ideal for visitors from outside of the city, being less than a 40-minute drive from Glasgow and just under an hour from Edinburgh.
Photograph supplied by interviewee.