MacMoray Festival all set to much-anticipated Elgin return – with just a handful of tickets left for sale
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MACMORAY Festival is set to make its much-anticipated return to Elgin's Cooper Park this weekend – with just a handful of tickets left for sale.
After the success of last year's 7500 sell-out at the park, the festival is set to return over two days in 2023, with 10,000 people to attend on both Saturday and Sunday.
A total of 7800 weekend tickets have been sold, with the remaining day tickets for Saturday sold out. Just a handful remain for Sunday.
To accommodate an increase in the number of people attending, the area fenced off for the festival is larger than last year, with more facilities and an increase in staff numbers.
Organiser Andy Macdonald said he's "so excited" for the second running of MacMoray, with the build up going almost as smoothly as imaginable so far.
"It's all going according to plan," he said. "It's almost going too smoothly! Last year was a big build up for one day – it feels better to build up to two days.
"We are building up to something bigger. The demand for tickets is huge – it feels like more people want tickets than have tickets and that fuels the team.
"It's so exciting. We have sold out and we are bringing the biggest and most-exciting event ever to Moray.
"I'm not even nervous but I'm not sleeping because I'm just dead excited.
"We want everyone who came last year to realise that this is bigger and better and we are convinced that they will."
Andy isn't the only one excited for the weekend. The bands, too, are excited to perform in Elgin – many for the first time.
"The artists are absolutely buzzing," Andy said. "They can't believe it's sold out.
"Rednex have never been to Scotland before, so they are particularly over the moon."
On the improved event, he added: "Everything has been enhanced.
"We are utilising way more space in the park, we have way more toilets, more bars and so much more space for VIP."
The running order was announced during the week, with Vengaboys – second last on in 2022 – to sign off MacMoray 2023.
Drew Dixon gets the main stage action underway at 12.30pm on Saturday. He is followed by Scooty and The Skyhooks (1.55pm), Cascada (3.20pm), Rednex (4.45pm), Bay City Rollers (6.10pm), Five (7.35pm) and B*Witched (9pm).
The Sunday is started by Graeme Mackay and the Dramcatchers (12.30pm), followed by The Buzzcocks (1.55pm), Nazerath (3.20pm), Sweet (4.45pm), Big Country (6.10pm), Alicee Deejay (7.35pm) and Vengaboys (9pm).
Andy added: "Vengaboys blew the park out of the water last year so it made sense to have them finish the show.
"It's a way for MacMoray to thank them, and for them to thank MacMoray customers. They put MacMoray on the map last year so them ending the second show is fitting.
"They said it was one of the best performances they have done and one of the best crowds they have seen. There's no better way than for them to end the festival."
Andy said a "special thanks" to the Seafield Arms in Cullen and C&R Taxis for supporting the event.
Seafield Arms are hosting a number of artists, with C&R Taxis are providing luxury travel for artists to and from the event.
Tickets can be bought at www.macmoray.com.
