The Big Tent 2010!

We never missed a chance to tell everyone and anyone of our excitement about Scaramanga's trip to The Big Tent festival in Falkland for the weekend, so I'm sure no-one needs reminding that we were actually there... But this is the first opportunity I've had to sit down and actually write about how it went, what we did and what we saw... For those who don't know, The Big Tent is an annual music and arts festival held in the scenic village of Falkland, Fife. The festival is a weekend packed with great music, lots of organic food, local craftsmen and tradesmen on hand to show off their work, and of course local fair trade businesses with stalls for selling pretty things (that was us :D). So, on Saturday July 24^th, after a practically sleepless night of excitement at being let loose in a field for the weekend (we clearly don't get out enough), Tush and I are up bright and early and on our way to The Big Tent. Surprisingly, the Scottish weather holds out for us as we trudge through Falkland in our brightly coloured wellies, bacon rolls in hand. We arrive at the Market Tent where our stall is to be set up for the weekend, and are immediately faced with a wealth of shopping temptation. We set up the stall nicely like the good employees we are, but it's not long before we're taking turns to sit at the stall while the other wanders the relaxed atmosphere of the festival. As I meander through the crowds, it doesn't take me long to realise that we have a reputation - a good one! - amongst the locals: when asked which stall I'm working on I say, of course, Scaramanga, to be met with exclamations of how beautiful the leather satchels are. We make a fair profit from the stall, sell a good few bags and hand out leaflets by the dozen, and so the day is a success, and it passes quickly. At 6.30pm we pack up for the day, leaving the stall undercover for the next morning as we head out into the rain to join the fun with the regular festival goers for the night. The evening is filled with food, music, wine and the scariest taxi ride of my life; all of which make Sunday morning a little more difficult than Saturday. But still, we are up and once again to be spotted from miles away in our bright wellies as we head back to the festival for day 2... The free strawberries that we're given at the entrance (a reward for our environmentally friendly method of travelling to the festival on foot) are perhaps the highlight of the entire day, and they certainly made a cheerful start to the morning. We set up the stall again and spend another successful day in the friendly atmosphere of the tent, chatting to the festival goers and selling notebooks, bags and blankets. However, it's safe to say that by the time 6.30pm comes around again, Tush and I are tired, sick of hearing the stalls on either side of us talking up their bath salts and tea balls, and ready to go home. We pack up, sit on the grass and listen to the music in the sun for a while, and then go home for a long awaited bath! All in all, the weekend was a huge success: we made some money, got our name out there to more people, and had the chance to break out of the office for the weekend!