Welcome to HebCelt Festival. We want to make sure everyone can come and join in the fun of the festival, so we put together some notes to help you have the best weekend possible.
If you still have questions after reading these notes, please get in touch. You can also give us feedback or suggestions to help improve things for future years. We are always happy to take suggestions and will do our best to improve based on your experiences.
Site Layout and Ground Conditions
Like many festivals, our main arena is a green field site. There are some paths and we have placed a trackway to give you smoother access to viewing areas for the mainstage and islands stage. Despite this, the site can be challenging to move around in a wheelchair, with mobility aids or if you find walking on uneven ground difficult, especially in wet weather. Please think about this when you decide what equipment to bring with you.
There are routes to the accessible viewing platform in the main tent, to the islands stage (see below) and to the wheelchair accessible toilet without crossing grassy ground. We have volunteer assistants on hand at both viewing areas who will do their best to help you and we will arrange for someone to escort you between stages, via a tarmacked path backstage, if you need an arm to lean on or a willing wheelchair pusher.
Viewing Areas (VA)
There are raised viewing platforms in the mainstage tent and in the islands stage tent. These provide a better line of sight and a no-crush area. We understand not everyone wishes to use these facilities, but it can make your experience better.
For your comfort there are chairs on the viewing platforms for people who need to sit, and a volunteer team keeps an eye on your safety. Sitting for long periods can get cold, even on a summer night. Please bring layers of clothing, a blanket or even a cushion to sit on if you think you might be affected.
For the best view, you need to arrive early in the programme. Those arriving later will probably have to sit behind other people. If your friend or carer is able to see from further back, or to stand during the concert, please be aware that the priority for seating at the front is given to other disabled people.
The viewing platforms are in heavy demand and must be pre-booked. We cannot guarantee access to the platform if you have not pre-booked. Reserved viewing areas are solely for the use of disabled ticket-holders with one companion, subject to above conditions, and are free of charge. If required, once you have secured your tickets, email office@hebceltfest.com with your booking reference requesting VA access. We will add this booking to your ticket purchase.
Toilets
Chemical toilet units, designed for access for wheelchair users, are provided near to the viewing entrance areas. Although they are not as fully equipped as a building-based accessible toilet, they do have space for someone to come in and help you if you need it. Accessible toilets are prioritised for festival-goers with access needs, so you do not need to stand in any queue. An attendant will guide you to the first available unit. There is also generous provision of standard toilet units on the grassed area of the site.
Medical Services and Assistance at the Event
There are onsite facilities including a first aid tent, with paramedics, first responders and first-aid trained volunteers on standby to come to any area of the festival site.
Access at An Lanntair and other venues
Our other main venue is a purpose-built arts centre with lift access, accessible toilets, and nearby on/off street parking, there are 2 disabled bays outside An Lanntair. For full information on access at An Lanntair please go to their website https://lanntair.com/visitor-info/ Town venues and community halls used are similarly accessible, with appropriate toilet/parking facilities.
Use of lighting
Flicker, laser, strobe and other lighting effects may be in use at the various stages and other venues.
Personal Assistant Ticket Scheme
As part of our commitment to make the festival arena as accessible as possible, we provide ticket holders who get disability benefits with one free ticket for a companion/personal assistant. Eligible benefits include Disability Living Allowance at medium or higher rate, Adult Disability Payment, Personal Independence Payments, and Attendance Allowance. We will ask you to show us your letter confirming that you receive a benefit when you collect your tickets.
To get the free carer ticket, book tickets for your party but DO NOT BOOK THE CARER. On receiving your ticket confirmation send an email to office@hebceltfest.com headed ‘Personal Carer’ and ask us to add a carer to your booking. Do this AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE CONFIRMATION, and we’ll take care of the rest. When collecting your tickets you should present a copy of your most recent entitlement letter from the Department for Work and Pensions or Social Security Scotland.
Vehicle Access and Parking
Accessible Parking
Accessible parking will be provided within the university car park (please follow accessible car park signs). The festival main entrance is 400 metres from the carpark on tarmac paths, mainly flat with a small hill descending to the main entrance and there is a hill descending to the arena once you are within the site. There are no handrails on any of these paths.
There will be a limited number of parking spaces within the university car park, these spaces will be for accessible parking only and must be pre-booked. You will be given a carpark pass with your tickets upon collection, which must be displayed in your vehicle to gain entrance to the accessible carpark.
If you feel that you need a space within the accessible carpark, please contact office@hebceltfest.com 
Accessibility Shuttle Vehicle
If you are unable to walk from the carpark, we will be providing a HebCelt-branded shuttle SUV to transfer between the carpark and drop off point within the main arena. The shuttle vehicle will also return you to the university car park when you are ready to leave. The accessibility vehicle can transport walking aids or a small, folded wheelchair in the boot. There is no charge for the shuttle vehicle.
The shuttle vehicle will run on demand, the vehicle can be requested via the security guard on the university carpark gate or by the security guard on gate at main stage accessible platform. Please indicate to the security guard on arrival/departure that you require the accessibility shuttle, and they will arrange this for you.
You may have a 15min wait for the shuttle vehicle between runs, there will be a signposted pick-up area within the university car park with a seating area, or you can indicate to security at the carpark entrance gate that you will wait in your car for collection.
When you are ready to return to your car, the shuttle vehicle will pick you up from where it dropped you off within the arena. There will be a seating area if you have to wait (please also see Vehicle Curfew below).
If you are being dropped off or collected by car or taxi, there will be a drop-off and collection area within the UHI car park, you will then be transported to/from the main arena by the Accessibility Shuttle Vehicle.
There will be a very limited number of parking spaces within the arena, these spaces will be for wheelchair users only and need to be pre-booked. You will be given a carpark pass with your tickets upon collection, which must be displayed in your vehicle to gain entrance to the onsite carpark If you feel that you need a space onsite, please contact office@hebceltfest.com
Vehicle Curfew
As part of our licensing conditions, we must have a vehicle curfew in place at the end of the festival each night, to allow pedestrians safe departure from the festival. During the vehicle curfew NO vehicles will be permitted to leave the car park within the arena, or to exit the accessible car park within the university.
Car and taxi collection will also be suspended during the period of the curfew. There will be no vehicle access to the arena from Willowglen Road from 11pm each night, until the curfew has been lifted (whenever pedestrians are clear from the roadway). There will be NO EXCEPTIONS to the curfew, even for access reasons.
The HebCelt shuttle car will also be suspended during the period of the vehicle curfew, the last run prior to the curfew will be 10.30pm. The shuttle will resume once the curfew has been lifted.
The curfew normally lasts up to one hour, but we will always endeavour to lift it as soon as is safely possible for everyone.
Should you wish to not be held up by the vehicle curfew, you are advised to go back to your car and be ready to leave before 11pm. Otherwise, there are seats within the mainstage viewing area where you can wait until you return to your car.
If you’d like to be contacted about arena parking or any other access support, please send an email to accessibility@hebceltfest.com
Assistance Dogs
Assistance dogs are dogs that have been highly trained to carry out a range of tasks and alerts that support a disabled person or person with a long-term medical condition.
You must let us know in advance if you will be bringing your Assistance Dog to the festival by emailing office@hebceltfest.com
Please Note: Legislation does not cover Emotional Support Animals (ESA's) and we are not required by law to grant access to any animal other than assistance dogs.
Keep us up to date
We review accessibility and the experience we provide for all festival-goers annually. If you have individual queries or comments to make about what worked for you, please contact us. If need be, we can arrange for someone to call you to talk through specific details which may make a difference to your experience. You can also give us feedback or suggestions to help improve facilities for the future. Some responses may need additional research time and we are not able to manage all methods of communication across social media. Using the email address accessibility@hebceltfest.com is the best method of getting to the right person to help.