A popular island music festival has been shortlisted for a major tourism award.
The Hebridean Celtic Festival has been named as a finalist in the Best Cultural Event category in the annual Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards (HITA).
HebCelt picked up the title in 2014 and 2017 and last year won the national category at the Scottish Thistle Awards.
This year’s HebCelt, in July in Lewis and Harris, was praised by artists, audience and supporters as one of the best ever.
More than 30 acts, including headliners KT Tunstall, Tide Lines and The Shires, took to the stage over four days with attendances reaching 18,000.
Festival director Caroline MacLennan said: “We are thrilled to be shortlisted for a HITA award again in a competition where we have been successful previously.
“HebCelt is a major force for the islands economically, culturally, socially and environmentally and it is always pleasing that the hard work of the mainly volunteer effort to stage the event is recognised.”
The festival, a not-for-profit charitable event firmly rooted almost entirely managed and produced by voluntary effort, is preparing to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
An independent economic assessment of HebCelt showed that 56 per cent of its audience comes from outside Lewis and Harris, including from Europe, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, with about 70% of these returning visitors.
HebCelt directly generates net income of around £2 million annually, and has brought in about £30 million since it started.
