Dancing 'n Ice comes to The Wickerman

A substantial grant means Scotland's The Wickerman Festival will be offering festivals goers the chance to experience a synthetic ice rink and dance classes.

Rerrick Events Society, the non-profit arm of The Wickerman Festival, has been awarded a substantial grant to offer new free activities to festival-goers. Awards For All, the body that awards funds from the National Lottery, has given Rerrick Events Society a total of £3,290 which will be spent bringing a synthetic ice rink and dance classes to The Wickerman Festival.

Research carried out by Wickerman organisers identified the demand for additional activities that would appeal to a broad audience, especially those where young and old could participate together. Wickerman attendees can already experience a mountain bike pump course, pitch 'n' putt golf course, mountain boarding and sledging, cinema, woodcarving demonstrations and much more.

The synthetic ice rink will give Wickerman attendees the chance to show off their skating skills or perhaps just try and get round without letting go of the side. Measuring 12m x 12m and taking a hundred people at a time, the bizarre sight of this winter activity in the summer fields will fit perfectly in to the quirky ethos of Wickerman.

The free dance workshops will be provided by local organisation the Karen Little Dancing Academy. A fully-qualified dancing instructor, Karen will help festival goers find their inner rhythm and hopefully discover a passion for movement that they can pursue outwith the festival.

Festival director and chairman of Rerrick Events Society Jamie Gilroy said: "We're delighted to have been granted this award which means we can further diversify our offering at The Wickerman Festival. It'll be quite a sight to see people skating about in the middle of summer on the synthetic ice rink and we're pleased to be able to support local talent with Karen Little."

Karen Little said: "Wickerman is the biggest thing to happen in Dumfries & Galloway and I'm thrilled to be taking part. I'm very much looking forward to meeting with the festival goers and share my love of dance with as many people as possible."

Created by the Scottish Arts Council, Big Lottery Fund and Sport Scotland, the Awards For All fund gives grants of between £500 and £10,000 for people to take part in art, sport and community activities.

The ninth Wickerman festival which happens on Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th July 2010 at Dundrennan, South West Scotland, in deepest Galloway has a line-up that sees The Charlatans and Ocean Colour Scene headline with Buzzcocks, The Undertones, Pama International, Tony Christie, 808 State, Goldie Lookin' Chain, Fenech Soler, Erland and the Carnival, The Saw Doctors, Codeine Velvet Club, Sons & Daughters, and more. For the line-up details as available please click here

The festival welcomes families, and features two main stages, as well as a dance area, acoustic and reggae tents, a campsite, trade stalls, alternative area, bars, and food stalls. With two huge marquees, an outdoor funk stage, chill out space and bar – not to mention the Skiddle Bus debut - The Wickerman Festival is a great event for those after some all night dance action, away from the corporate sponsorship the larger dance events offer.

Weekend adult tickets cost £85, teens aged 13-15 cost £42.50, kids under 13 are admitted free. To buy, click here.

This year's fancy dress theme is Vampires and Werewolves. Festival goers are invited to bring their Halloween costumes and get in the Hammy Horror groove for next July's fangtastic celebration of all things Fiery and Fearsome.

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