This year’s Enchanted Forest promises to be the biggest ever with a record-breaking attendance expected.
The annual light and sound show returns to Faskally Woods, near Pitlochry, from Thursday, September 29 for its 20th year.
But it will be the first since 2019 after Covid-19 restrictions scuppered the previous two editions.
This may be a contributing factor towards high levels of public interest ahead of the event.
So far, more than 60,000 tickets have been sold, including those who purchased tickets for the previous two years before they were cancelled.
Organisers are confident this figure will reach 80,000 to make it the most popular Enchanted Forest since it began in 2002.
Here is what you need to know.
What is the theme of this year’s show?
Getting back to spending time with loved ones is the theme of ‘Together’ for the 2022 show.
Organisers say it has “been inspired by the hopeful public mood of togetherness that so many are now enjoying after such a long time apart, and a desire to mark the 20th anniversary of our event.”
In the past two decades more than 600,000 visitors have flocked to an event that is one of the biggest, in terms of attendance, north of the central belt.
The event is advertised as “simply magical” with “dazzling visuals and innovative design, all choreographed against an original music score”.
Why is its location crucial?
A light show works best when the sky is as dark as possible.
But the best locations for this are usually remote parts of the countryside without the infrastructure to cater for hundreds of people at a time.
This is where Faskally Woods benefits from being close to the A9 and the busy little town of Pitlochry.
On Enchanted nights, event coaches leave from and return to Fisher’s Hotel at regular intervals.
Enchanted Forest marketing manager Trisha Fox said: “Many similar events take place in urban areas and suffer from light pollution.
“Whereas we have darkness and also a forest setting with a loch in the middle, so there is a landscape to work with.
“In other events you can see generators and wires so you know what they are doing.
“Whereas, this is a dense forest in the darkness so equipment can be camouflaged, which has an effect.”
Why is it important for the local economy?
The attraction’s importance to local businesses cannot be underestimated.
Each year it contributes an estimated £7.6m to the economy in and around Pitlochry.
“Over 50% of the audience who come to the event are holidaying in the area,” Tricia said.
“So they are spending on hotels and cafes.
“When it started in 2002 it was with the intention of extending the tourist season in the local area.
“Back then a lot of tourist operators used to close for the season.
“There were 1,500 people in the first year and it has now grown to hopefully more than 80,000 this year.”
The event effectively extends the peak summer season for businesses in this part of the Highlands.
Who runs the event?
The Enchanted Forest is a big success story for the local community.
It is not run by a big company but by a local charity, the Enchanted Forest Community Trust, which has a voluntary board of trustees that oversees a delivery team.
This bottom-up approach ensures that proceeds from the event are donated to 30 small charities and groups.
“Perhaps this may not happen if it was run by a big corporation,” Trisha suggests.
How can I attend?
The Enchanted Forest runs from Thursday, September 29 to Sunday, October 30.
Tickets cost £24 for adults and £13.50 for children between the age of three and five. Children under this age gain free entry.
These prices include the shuttle bus to and from the forest from Fisher’s Hotel in Pitlochry.
This year for the first time there is also an accessibility bus, which runs from Blair Atholl Distillery.
This may better suit customers who have specific access needs but who do not require disabled parking on site. It must be booked in advance though.
And for the first time families with autistic children or adults can visit earlier while the spectacle is quieter and before queues grow for coaches from Pitlochry to the event.
Conversation