SPEAKER_01 0:15

Welcome back to the Sterling Business Podcast from Studio King Street in Sterling. Today we have Julian Schofield, the service manager for Culture, Events and Tourism from Sterling Council with us to talk about the Sterling Culture Night on the 1st of May 2026. So this is a follow-up podcast. We had Kevin Harrison in a few weeks ago talking about the uh you know the high-level kind of elements around the event. But uh today we're gonna get into a bit more detail about what uh what we're looking forward to. So welcome to the podcast. Julian, how are we?

SPEAKER_00 0:52

I'm very well, how are you? Thank you very much for inviting me along.

Event Scale And Free Entry

SPEAKER_01 0:54

Yeah, no, absolutely great. So thanks for uh coming along to talk about the Carnival of the Wolf, uh, which is the uh uh theme for the Stirling Culture Night on the first of May. So we had Kevin in uh several weeks ago giving us uh the high-level kind of concept and some of the kind of messaging around the event itself. But uh what detail has evolved uh since then and what can be shared with the audience?

SPEAKER_00 1:19

Yeah, well I think since Kevin has has been in to speak to you, a lot has evolved. So we've now looking at around 36 events confirmed at the moment on one night in Stirling. So um and we've got these events running across the city centre and out as far as uh National Wallace Monument, the Trossex Church, Brigatork Tea Room, and Oll Mill and Killin. So it's not just Stirling uh City but it's the surrounding areas as well. So we've got a a massive number of events, so um many um activities and events for people to take part in that night.

SPEAKER_01 1:51

Wow, so it is gonna be uh it's gonna be a a pretty kind of full-on evening on the point. It is, it is.

SPEAKER_00 1:56

It's it's almost like a mini fringe festival that we're trying to organise here on one night. And uh the best thing about it is it's all absolutely free. Um with the little asterisk, the the small booking fees may apply for some of the events just in terms of the the way we need to take the bookings forward, but it's a free event and it's really to generate a fantastic buzz in the city and wider and uh demonstrate that actually Stirling really is the place to be.

SPEAKER_01 2:21

And just a bit of a reminder uh in terms of the genesis of the genesis of of this event, it came from an event last year?

SPEAKER_00 2:28

Yeah, well uh prior to that it came from our cultural strategy. So there are catalysts within our cultural strategy, and one of those is to arrange a major event of the year. So we ran um uh an event at Stirling Castle last year, Culture at the Castle, which was on the back of the year of the 900 celebration of Stirling, and really that was our kind of catalyst again to organise a specific culture night for um this year, and we have three years planned, so this is the first of three.

SPEAKER_01 2:57

Great. Is it gonna be at the same time each year?

SPEAKER_00 2:59

Yeah, we're hoping it'll be around the same, that same May weekend, obviously. I'm not sure it'll be the first of May, but whatever that Friday night is.

What To Do On The Night

SPEAKER_01 3:04

Yeah, the Bancolder weekend. Brilliant. So, what uh specific activities are we likely to see on the evening then, Julia?

SPEAKER_00 3:11

Yeah, gosh, there's there's an an awful lot to uh to uh showcase the best of Sterling's music, dance, comedy, arts, craft, literature, and more. Um visit visitors will be able to take part in live DJ sets. We have acclaimed DJ Sam Gellertry coming along, and he's coming to perform in his hometown. We have an aerial performance at Baker Street Gardens, so something going on outside. We have crime tours.

SPEAKER_01 3:36

Let's hope the weather's kind.

SPEAKER_00 3:37

Here's hoping, you know, not like this weekend, certainly. We have crime tours at Old Town Jail, we have a silent disco at the Thistle Centre, and we have comedy and arts and much, much more. So really there is something for everyone.

Local Venues And How To Join

SPEAKER_01 3:48

That's great. So it sounds like it's going to be very much for um you know adults if they want some of the kind of late at night entertainment, maybe comedy, etc. But then it's very much geared towards uh families as well.

SPEAKER_00 4:01

It's very much geared towards adults, I would say. So it's sort of 6 p.m. onwards, um, looking at that adult market really to bring these adults into the sort of hospitality into the bars and the pubs and restaurants around the city centre. So it's uh adults, not to say there's not some um activities that are suitable for a younger audience, but really the target audience is adults.

SPEAKER_01 4:19

Right, okay. So how have the local businesses embraced the opportunity to get involved?

SPEAKER_00 4:26

They've been great. Um we've had you know and we still receive interest from local venues on a daily basis wanting to take part as the word is getting out. Um we've had so many cultural providers coming um forward with activities for us, like I say, comedy, art, dance, music, um, you know, creative workshops, etc. So we've been absolutely delighted with the response so far, and Stirling is is very much supporting Culture Night, and we hope that remains so as we move forward with it. It is pretty much a first for Stirling, and I think I could probably say it's probably a first for Scotland as well to do something like this.

SPEAKER_01 4:59

Right, okay. So are there still opportunities uh available for businesses to get involved at this stage?

SPEAKER_00 5:05

There are. Um time is running out. We are hoping to um launch the programme very much in the next um couple of days. So um we're really hoping to get that out um this week. But we're happy to take more if people could get in touch with us as soon as possible. If they have something going on at their existing bar venue, then we'd be happy to put that under the umbrella of Carnival of the Wolf.

SPEAKER_01 5:26

And uh how do they get in touch and who who do we contact with?

SPEAKER_00 5:29

We suggest just going to our website, which is where the programme is. So if you go to yoursterling.com, all the details and culture nights listed there.

SPEAKER_01 5:35

You talked a little bit about uh you know a bunch of the different things that are going to be happening. Uh roughly how many events did you say we're gonna be taking place at night?

SPEAKER_00 5:45

I could see we've got about 37 at the moment. We're just finalising the details. It's been a bit of a matchmaking scheme or finalising matchmaking the venues with the the the creative um partners. So we're looking to have about 40 in total, which is a substantial amount of events going on in any one night in Stirling.

Making It A Full Weekend

SPEAKER_01 6:00

Oh, it certainly is. And uh in terms of the uh the rest of that weekend, is there anything that you you're expecting to continue through the weekend, or is it very much a one I don't know?

SPEAKER_00 6:13

The venues were happy to continue with activities all weekend, but Culture Night is very much that one night. But what we're hoping to do is very much present Stirling as a place to come and enjoy Culture Night, but make a weekend of it. So we would hope that people would come and stay on the Friday night, stay on the Saturday night. There's so much to do in the area in terms of the visitor attractions and the beautiful rural area that we have, that really there's not enough to, you know, there you know, one day just isn't enough, and one night certainly isn't enough to enjoy what Sterling has to offer.

Hotel Offer And Charity Event

SPEAKER_01 6:40

Yeah, so certainly from our perspective, uh King Street Department Hotel will be uh you know providing some offers for the weekend. Uh for guests to come and stay uh at a discounted rate. So uh in addition, actually, we with what our sister company we uh we have an event here as well. Um Working Flexi Spaces, King Street events um have an event uh specifically in support of the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders. Uh cause that we support uh up at the castle. Um and uh there'll be kind of stories and and what have you uh in conjunction with uh creative vec uh uh creative veterans. Um so more than welcome. Uh you need to register through Eventbrite, but uh it's a free event and uh any donations uh that are made will go directly to the Auck Island Highlanders Trust.

SPEAKER_00 7:31

No, that sounds fantastic. And I think that's the great thing about Culture Nights, the the the variety of events that's taking place, like I say, from a live DJ set to storytelling to to making crafts, to comedy, to music, to to theatre and dance. So I think you know, you know, if you can go you can dip in and out of our various aspects all night long, and I'm thank you very much for supporting it as well, Neil. I'd be happy to, but uh I'm not quite sure what my role is gonna be in the night, but I'll certainly be there and they'll be roving around and seeing what's going on and and hopefully seeing lots of very happy, smiling faces who are enjoying Culture Night for the first time in Stirling.

Tourism And Authentic Stirling Culture

SPEAKER_01 8:07

And it does sound like uh we are kind of entering into the uh the busy season in in Stirling, so um a fantastic opportunity for some of our international tourists uh who will be uh mulling around the city centre.

SPEAKER_00 8:21

Oh that's it.

SPEAKER_01 8:21

Uh to uh to partake as well.

SPEAKER_00 8:23

Yeah, absolutely. I think you know what we're putting on offer here is a very authentic Scottish experience and the locals really want to mingle with sorry, the the visitors really want to mingle with locals and this will give them a great opportunity to do that and hear hear stories and really soak up the culture of Stirling and uh hopefully they will tell their friends and family and come back and experience it again.

Closing And Where To Find Updates

SPEAKER_01 8:45

Yeah, say it in all its glory. Brilliant. Okay, well, thanks for coming along. Thank you. And uh we'll talk again soon. Thanks, Julian.

SPEAKER_00 8:51

Thank you very much, Neil.

SPEAKER_01 8:52

Thank you again for joining the Sterling Business Podcast. Uh Julian Schofield uh was in today talking about Sterling Culture Night uh scheduled for the 1st of May 2026. So uh look out on all of the social media channels for more information in the coming weeks. Uh but it should be an action-packed evening, uh, 40 plus events uh in Sterling on one night. Uh no mean fit, but uh I'm sure everyone will enjoy it and it will become an annual recurring event. So uh until next time, take care.