SCOTLAND'S only music festival aimed at people with disabilities is hoping to reach a major milestone this year, spreading a message of "belonging, celebration and joy".
Awakening The Festival, taking place on June 14 in Callendar Park in Falkirk, is the only music festival in the country which has been created specifically for people with disabilities, their friends and their families.
This year's festival features a stellar line-up, including the likes of comedian and DJ Karen Dunbar and Still Game star Sanjeev Kholi, alongside celebrating performers with disabilities.
Hosted by the Falkirk branch of charity Enable, and supported by EventScotland's national events funding programme, the festival has grown year-on-year and has evolved from a small community gathering into a major celebration of inclusion.
Organisers are hoping that this year's event will mark a significant milestone by attracting up to 1000 people.
The not-for-profit festival was started in 2018 by couple Maureen and Neil Kilgour, who have two sons with learning disabilities and were keen to address a lack of inclusive social and cultural opportunities.
Maureen told The National how the idea first started as an informal gathering, before evolving into a social club and a monthly nightclub.
"When my sons were young, they didn't really get invited to a lot of things and they didn't have a lot of things to look forward to," she said.
She started organising Christmas parties for the local additional needs school, and after around 10 years the gatherings formalised into a weekly occasion.
Eventually the group branched out into monthly events at the local nightclub, bringing in around 150 people along with their support workers.
While the first edition of the festival saw around 100 people come, Maureen feels confident that it could welcome up to 10 times as many people this time.
"We're looking to expand a bit more and have more people from outwith the Falkirk district to come along and promote inclusivity and friendships," she said.
"The people that we're supporting are limited to their friendships and the groups they have - but why shouldn't they be introduced to people from further afield that they might gel with and create friendships with?"
Maureen said the festival emphasises how accessibility can be integrated into everything, and not just added on as an "afterthought".
"If there was a festival or a gig at the Hydro, or somewhere like that, there's only so many disabled spaces and they're all grouped together and segregated," she told The National.
"But in our festival, the whole space is disability-friendly – it's focussed on disabilities.
"People can come along, they can let their hair down, they can be who they are – there's no expectations, it's just an open space for people to feel comfortable and at home."
The entire park is wheelchair accessible and features disabled toilets and changing facilities.
Visitors can interact with therapy dogs and horses on site, as well as visiting a "sensory sanctuary" which provides a comfortable place to explore, relax and engage with surroundings.
Plus, tickets for carers or support workers are free of charge.
There will also be an "information zone" where visitors can get guidance on benefits, guardianship, self-directed support, respite, Motability, young driver programmes and more.
The festival will showcase musical entertainment from live bands, DJs and singers alongside a range of other attractions, including community pro wrestling, celebrity meet and greets with River City stars Jordan Young, Frank Gallagher and Gail Watson, and character meet and greets.
There will also be children's entertainment, creative music and arts activities, an emergency services vehicles display and a food and drink zone, which includes a licensed bar.
Access to fairground rides is also included in the price of admission.
Maureen encouraged people to come along and experience the festival for themselves, adding that she wants to ensure "everybody with disabilities across Scotland has the opportunity to experience the sense of belonging, celebration and joy that music festivals bring."
Awakening The Festival will take place on Sunday, June 14 at Callendar Park in Falkirk between 12pm and 6pm.
Tickets are priced at £28 for adults, £14 for 11- to 17-year-olds, £7 for children between five and 10 years old, while under 5s go free. A booking fee also applies.
Click here to buy tickets and to see the full line-up.
