Please follow the signs for either of the two free park and ride car parks that are available on the day, one at the Landmark overflow car park and one in the old construction yard up Station Road.  For more details please see the map on the Home Page.

***Please note you have an option to pay in advance subject to 4G signal at the Station Rd Car Park. You will see a Poster with a QR code which allows you to book your tickets with you are waiting for the bus and  beat the queue using the  fast track entry when you get dropped off by the Vintage Buses!

Vintage buses will be available to transport people to and from the Landmark Overflow car park and the Station Rd car park throughout the day. The last buses will leave the village car Park at about 5pm

Blue badge holders There is limited space in the public car park at the entrance to the event, not all bays will have additional space for wheelchair manoeuvrability.

Families with Prams, Buggies or Dogs may wish to park in the overflow car park at the Landmark and make their way to the event via the way marked woodland paths, which is only a short walk; however if not the vintage buses are happy to give the a lift.

If you need any further assistance our team of traffic management volunteers will be around the village and happy to help

We are keen to encourage visitors to use public transport where possible.

Rail
6 trains from Inverness stop at Carrbridge each day and  our shuttle bus will pick you up on Station Rd opposite the entrance to Carrbridge Station.  Options for rail travel can be found at Plan my Journey

Bus

Coming from north south east or west brings you into the bus stop at the village car park just meters from the event entrance.

Check out the details for your journey here Bus travel

The Feedback we have received is that the event is reasonably priced, and we like to treat all those over 16 the same.

We do not receive any local authority funding to reimburse any council or national concession initiatives.

This event is organised and delivered entirely by an army of  volunteers in order to raise funds for Community Projects.

We greatly appreciate your support for this event and details of past and present projects funded by the event can be found on the website.

We are delighted to introduce a prepayment option in 2022. You can book Entry and Ceilidh Tickets using the following link  https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/carvecarrbridge

Entry Tickets may be purchased by this method up until 1pm thereafter payment by cash or card can be made at the gate.

Advanced Ceilidh Tickets will close on the 2nd of September but any available tickets can be purchased at the Merchandise stall

Anyone who has purchased tickets in advance can use the fast track lane on the left. You will still need to have your hand stamped for re entry and collect your token to vote for your favourite Carving in the People’s Choice category.

We can take Card payments but rely on the 4G network as this is an outdoor event.

Many carvers and  traders on the field will also take card payments. Please check Carvers 2022 on the website to see what methods they accept before bidding on a Carving in the Grand Auction

We recommend that you will get the best value by coming earlier in the day but there will be no reduction in price until after the prize-winning carvings have been sold by auction.

At that point we will be delighted to receive a respectful donation

Payments for the main pieces are to the carvers themselves and payment methods vary a little.

We are currently updating the carvers information and have asked them to advise what methods of payment they accept. Details will be on the information about the Carvers

The quick carves can be paid by cash or card.

The Post Office, which is part of the Spar shop, is open in the morning and has cash withdrawal facilities.

Otherwise the nearest banks and supermarkets for cash are in Aviemore.

There are a number of commercial food stalls around the carving arena from burgers, fish and chips, pizza, ice cream, doughnuts.

In addition, the Parent Teacher Association will be offering teas, coffees and home baking in the Tea Tent.

There is also a Beer Tent run by Carrbridge Volunteers on site serving a range of alcoholic and soft drinks

The Cairn Hotel and Carrbridge Hotel provide a range of options using quality locally sourced produce.

Craft Ales, Malt whiskies and Scottish Gins are also available for you to explore.

The Spar shop has the all the necessary ingredients for a snack or picnic lunch.

Those also visiting the Landmark Forest Adventure Park during their visit to the village can purchase food in the Park.

There is a designated viewing area for wheelchair users at the end of the Carving arena nearest the main entrance.

There are public toilets at the entrance to the public car park in the village, including a wheelchair accessible toilet.

There are also portable toilets available at the far end of the arena, again including a wheelchair accessible unit.

There are first aiders on duty beside the RED Tent adjacent to the Entrance Gate

For Lost Children or Lost Parents please contact one of the Stewards or the main entrance in the first instance.

Parents of young children will be offered a white wrist band for their child on which they may add their mobile phone number. In the event of separation you will be called in the first instance.

Lost Children will be taken to the Rendezvous Point and looked after by 2 volunteers who have Safeguarding training and PVG checks.

Parents are also invited to point this out to children as the ‘place to go’ if they become separated for any reason. This is next to the First Aid Tent located near the main gate.

Announcements will be made through the PA system.

Lost Property will be held at the Entrance Gate.

Announcements may be made during the event for items of significant value. Otherwise please check before you leave.

Carve Carrbridge is a dog friendly event; however, we would ask that you keep your pet on a lead at all times.

Water bowls for dogs will be positioned outside of the tea tent and the beer tent, but please note that during extremely busy times, there may be a delay in refilling them.

We would also ask that you respect other visitors and pick up any deposits made by your pet.

Extra Poo Bags are available at the desk at the Entrance Gate if you need them.

In some years we have been able to provide bales for people to sit on. Regrettably these are hard to come by and are not available in 2019.
We therefore recommend if required that you bring portable seating with you. However please be mindful that  people will need access to the buckets on the fence to vote for “People Choice” so do not get too close to the barriers.

In addition to 1^st 2^nd 3^rd and Best New Entrant decided by our Panel of Judges, you can cast your own vote for People’s Choice.

You will be given a token at the desk when you pay and you should put this in the white bucket in front of the carving you think is best.

The Carvers themselves also vote for the Carvers’ Choice winner.

The key judging criteria are Artistic Merit and Technical Difficulty and additional points for Originality.

Yes! All carvings will be put up for auction by our professional auctioneer.

The large pieces are auctioned on behalf of the carvers, whilst the proceeds from the smaller quick carves add to the fundraising for the community of Carrbridge.

The smaller Quick Carvings generally fit in a car boot and must be collected and taken away on the day.

The main carvings can be collected from the field on the day after the auction has finished or alternatively our sponsor Spey Valley Timber and Builders Merchants will arrange for the carving to be held in their yard in Aviemore for a period of up to one month to allow purchasers to arrange collection at a suitable time.

They can also arrange to deliver for a  fee dependent on location; please contact them direct to discuss this if required.

Vehicles will only be allowed on the field after the spectators have left the field and you should liaise with our Field Coordinator who can be contacted via the volunteers at the gate on the day.

If you are successful in winning your chosen large carving you are required to pay the Carver direct at point of sale.

Some Carvers have provided information on the types of payments they can accept and these can be found for each carver at Carver profiles

Some UK based carvers may accept cheques however for international carvers this is not an option and you should check with an official in the arena for options.

Cash is available as described in the Money Matters section above.

We have a team of volunteers who look after the arena and many of the Carvers have support (usually from family members who understand the environment).

Judges and the Press are given access for close viewing.

Once the competition is over the protective netting around the arena will be taken down to allow better photos opportunities of the finished carvings.

Due to the amount of debris and sawdust it is unsafe for spectators to access the area and walk around the carvings.

As you would expect this is an aspect that is constantly under review.
With our parent organisation Carrbridge Ahead we are working to  improve the sustainability of the event. Below are some of the measures  being taken and current information will be displayed at the Gate on event day but please ask for more information.

What YOU can do to help us

Please use the Bins provided for your litter and waste.
Our sponsor David Ritchie and Sons will take it to their Recycling Centre for processing.

Please pick up some of our free biodegradable dog poo bags at the main gate. This area is used for children to play and for their active school activities in term time. Your help to keep it clean is appreciated.

If you have your own reusables e.g coffee cups, please use them with our vendors, they will be happy to oblige.

Thank you !

What WE are doing/ planning

We will be using stock items such as plastic drinks glasses but will move to compostable products or reusables in the future. We will not provide straws and encourage our food and drink vendors not use these either. 

We are asking our suppliers, stall holders and activity providers to do the same.

We have increased our use of social media and email marketing to promote our event.

We have introduced advanced e-ticket sales and are moving to more cashless transactions.

All event waste is recovered by David Ritchie and Sons for processing in their purpose built recycling centre whose goal is ‘Zero waste to landfill’.

We distribute wood offcuts to local people who want them to help reduce their energy costs.

We have sought agreement with our parent charity Carr-Bridge Ahead that there will be an ongoing commitment to tree planting to mitigate the Carbon cost of this event.

We are working with Carr-Bridge Ahead, the Woodland Trust and Seafield and Strathspey Estates to identify sites to plant trees equivalent to or in excess of what we have used in the last 18 years.

We will review all areas of our organisation and delivery of the event on an annual basis and strive for continuing improvement in all our practices and those of our supply chain.