Now in its fifth year, the Crinan Classic Boat Festival is to be an informal celebration of wooden sail, motor, fishing and rowing boats, there will be events for all.

Festival Programme is as follows:

Thursday 30th June - Boats will sail into Crinan for the opening ceremony of CCBF. At approximately 1830hrs the mid-Argyll Pipe Band will sail into the Crinan Canal Sea lock on board the 'VIC 32', the only remaining west coast puffer to remain berthed in Crinan. The band will have a short march around the village. There will be a dram of Bruichladdich for all and a local band playing live music in the Mainbrace Pub of the Crinan Hotel later on.

Friday 1st July - Breakfast will be available to purchase at the hotel patio BBQ. The racing programme will start with racing around Loch Crinan, Loch Craignish and the Sound of Jura using inflatable markers and islands as racing marks. Ashore later on there will be more music, an informal tutored whisky tasting by Bruichladdich Whisky's irrepressable Jim McEwan and the opening of the Crinan Gallery art exhibition.

There will be racing for all boats on all days of the festival. All boats will return to Crinan for each night of the festival. Much of the racing, especially for the smaller, slower boats will be around markers within Loch Crinan, providing the spectators ashore with a beautiful spectacle and to provide some close racing giving everyone a chance to see your fine vessels sailing at a safe but close proximity. For the larger boats there will be racing around some of the same marks but also with courses into Loch Craignish and the Sound of Jura, a chance for them to pick up speed and cover a greater distance. This should ensure that everyone spends a similar time on the water.

Saturday 2nd July - Breakfast available to purchase at the hotel patio BBQ. More racing to follow with similar courses. On return to Crinan in the afternoon there will be the Highland Games. A chance for all to take part and let their hair down! Rowing races, row boat tug-o-war, haggis hurling, the Tunnocks Chanllenge! and more. Jimmy hats and instakilts will be provided. Saturday evening will follow with the ceilidh bash in the Green Barn at the top of the hill, the band, 'Rusty Nails' will be here, shouting out clear instructions for everyone to dance some reels!

Sunday 3rd July - Perhaps a slightly slower start to the day, allowing for some 'ceilidh recovery time'. Breakfast available to purchase from the hotel patio BBQ. Racing for the sail boats today will be the ladies race, all boats to be helmed by a female crew member. The festival will conclude with 'The General Race', open to all the festival motor boats. At approximately 1730hrs the prize giving will follow on the hotel patio weather permitting.

Exhibiting at the festival are the following:

• A & R Way Boatbuilding from Lochgilphead, will hopefully have a present refit or new build on display.
• The Marine Coastguard Agency (MCA) will be in attendance providing safety information and offer advice.
• The Green Blue
• The RNLI

Boat Jumble - Crinan Classic will be holding a jumble, bring along what you don't want and hopefully find what you do want. There will be a stall throughout the event for all participants to sell whatever they can. Crinan Classic will provide labels for all to write their contact details on and we will provide orange stickers much like an art exhibition for when each item sells, all thats left is for the seller and buyer to find each other (not too hard in Crinan) and the deal is done!

Clothing - Crinan Classic clothing will be for sale through out the festival. A range of polo shirts, t-shirts, long sleeve t-shirts, and hoodies will be available.