Castle Party 2022 – Stirling Castle

The medieval town of Stirling lies at the heart of Scotland. The one-time capital of the nation has always been at the centre of important events, and this is especially so of its castle, which has sat at the highest point of the town atop a crag of volcanic rock since the 12th century. A residence for Scotland’s royal dynasties and a key strategic citadel, the castle and its environs have been central to some of the most famous events in Scotland’s history, including the Battle of Bannockburn where Robert the Bruce won his greatest victory, the coronation of Mary Queen of Scots, and a siege by Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Highland army. From the castle walls you can look out over the beautiful valley of the sinuous River Forth to the gently rolling Ochil Hills and to the national monument to Scottish hero William Wallace.

So, when we were looking for an appropriately prestigious venue to host the inaugural event for collectors of Trevor’s art, Stirling Castle was the clear favourite, and we were delighted to secure the castle for 30 July 2022 from 7pm till midnight. We are looking forward to welcoming hundreds of guests from all over the world to a celebration of art and community, and we hope to raise much-needed funding for the cancer charity Maggie’s, in memory of the one and only Alotta Money AKA Philippe Fatoux. We have of course planned a dazzling cornucopia of entertainments for guests to enjoy, as you can see from the line-up below.

7pm-8pm – Reception

From the Queen Anne Garden to the Inner Close

On entry, guests will each receive a bespoke Bitcoin Angel/Satoshi the Creator mask kindly supplied by our sponsor Apollo Entertainment. Piper Kevin McLean will pipe guests into a reception with prosecco and canapés in the Queen Anne Garden. This will get the evening off to a sparkling start in this elegant 15^th century royal garden where guests can enjoy the shade of a 200 year old beech tree. But beware – if you glance up at the wall of the Royal Palace, which overlooks the garden, you might glimpse a statue of the Devil watching over the event!

The beautiful music of harper Mary Macmaster will accompany this initial reception, and guests will be able to meet our two magicians Dusty and Jody, caricaturist Neil Kempsell, and the Highland warriors of Combat International. Then, at around 7:45pm, Kevin will lead guests to the next stage of the evening and into the heart of the castle – the Inner Close. There Trevor will formally welcome guests and introduce the evening’s entertainments!

8pm-10pm – Castle Entertainments

The Inner Close, the Royal Palace, the Chapel Royal, the Great Hall, and the Douglas Garden

Now within the castle, guests will be able to roam around and explore this royal centre of Scottish medieval life. A host of interesting characters can be encountered, some great music, and sumptuous buffets of food and drinks.

The Inner Close

The Inner Close is an open-air courtyard surrounded by the royal buildings. Here, from 8pm till 8:45pm, pipes and drums band Clanadonia will entertain guests with their high-energy and very loud tribal rhythms! And, after Clanadonia, Combat International’s Highland Warriors will take centre stage with an incredible display of medieval combat!

The Great Hall

Built for King James IV in 1503, the Great Hall is the largest banqueting hall of its kind in Scotland and has hosted the country’s most incredible dances, feasts and banquets for over 500 years. And on 30 July 2022 the hall will be decorated with Bitcoin Angel Banners for its latest grand celebration!

In the hall, guests will find a buffet station and an open bar. All drinks for the party are being kindly supplied by our sponsor Metacask, except for a few of Metacask’s very rare speciality whiskies with cash or crypto payment accepted.

Guests will also enjoy a huge screen at the end of the Great Hall featuring art, NFTs, and music videos courtesy of Trevor, Eclectic Method and Vector Meldrew. Outside the Great Hall is a covered area called the Pentice, which has been designated a smoking zone for those who might wish to try their Bitcoin Angel cigars, which will be kindly supplied by our sponsor Saga Cigars.

The Royal Palace

The Royal Palace is a beautifully restored Renaissance building dating from 1543, a wedding gift from King James V to his bride Marie de Guise. Here can be viewed recreations of magnificent renaissance art, including the Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries and the Stirling Heads: renaissance oak medallions carved with images of kings, queens, nobles, Roman emperors, and characters from the Bible and Classical mythology. Guests will meet the historical characters from re-enactment group Living History, who will tell them what life in the castle was like in past centuries. And photographer Kirsty Anderson will also be on hand with a variety of props and costumes to photograph guests in the beautiful surroundings of the Palace.

The Chapel Royal

On the other side of the Inner Close from the Palace lies the Chapel Royal, which was built in 1594 by King James VI for the christening of his son Prince Henry. Here guests may seek some peace, where a confessional booth and crypto-clergyman will be available for them to confess their crypto sins. Or, for those who are sinless or simply shameless, there will be a buffet station, an open bar, and a seating area. Mary Macmaster will also be here, playing her mellifluous harp music in the chapel from 8:45pm.

The Douglas Garden

The Douglas Garden lies behind the Chapel Royal and is named for William the 8^th Earl of Douglas. In 1452 King James II was worried about the earl’s increasing power so invited him to a feast at the castle, at which the king murdered him with a poleaxe and flung his body through a window into the garden that now bears the earl’s name.

Fortunately, the Douglas Garden is now a place of tranquility, its bloody events long past. It has been designated a no-camera zone, so guests who would like some time out from the party can relax in the garden and admire the eastern view of the Ochil Hills and the National Wallace Monument. (Although please don’t go up on the wall-walk – we don’t want another Earl of Douglas situation!)

Also during 8pm-10pm, the magicians Dusty and Jody and the caricaturist Neil Kempsell will be roaming around as well, so guests should make sure to meet them before the night is over.

10pm-11:45pm – Announcements, Giveaways and DJRT!

The Great Hall

At 10pm Trevor will be making some exclusive announcements in the Great Hall. These will include some very exciting revelations that have not yet been made public, so Castle Party guests will be the first to hear and see them. Guests will also have the chance to win some amazing giveaways in a prize draw, including three original paintings and seven NFT display frames supplied by our sponsor Tokenframe. Trevor will be followed by the incredible DJRT, who will take to the stage and raise energy levels through the roof with his late-night house music in the Great Hall! Meanwhile, in the Chapel, the confessional booth will remain open for any late regrets.

11:45pm-midnight – Beat the Retreat

The Inner Close and out!

Guests will not be surprised to learn that Stirling Castle is haunted by several ghosts. There have been reports of a spectral Highland Warrior, a mysterious Pink Lady, and, most terrifying of all, the infamous Green Lady, whose sightings portend doom and disaster. As the hour draws late and these dark spectres from the castle’s bloody history start to creep from their hiding places, to ensure the safety and sanity of our guests we have employed the services of the Royal Burgh of Renfrew Pipe Band to Beat the Retreat! The pipe band will see guests safely out of the castle, and, as they leave, they’ll be able to pick up their Castle Party goodie bag, which is full of lovely items, including a Castle Party t-shirt, a print, a Castle Party commemorative coin, and a Bitcoin Angel miniature model.

Midnight-2am – Afterparty

The Stirling Highland Hotel

But that won’t be the end of the night! For those who want to keep partying, just a five-minute walk down the hill will take guests to the Stirling Highland Hotel, where we have booked two function rooms for the afterparty, kindly provided by our sponsors Nova Finance.