Opening to the public this morning, Monday 1stApril at 10.00am, Scone Palace marked the beginning of the 2019 season by gifting the first visitors to go through the Palace gates and reach the ticket booth with a Family Palace and Grounds Season Ticket and an Easter Hamper.
Susan Herd from Perth was the first through the Palace gates this morning with her sons, Jack (10) and Jamie McBride (7) and was presented with the gifts by Stephen Brannigan, Head of Palace and Events at Scone Palace.
Scone Palace has an exciting and diverse range of events lined up throughout the summer months for visitors of all ages to enjoy, as well as the historic Palace itself and the spectacular surrounding grounds and gardens.
Battle is set to commence again at Scone Palace after the success of last year's International Medieval Combat Federation (IMCF) World Championships as the Palace gets ready to host the Braveheart Scottish Axe Throwing Open on Sunday 5th May. At least 2,000 visitors are expected to descend on the Palace for the event, which will see axe-wielding competitors from the UK, Ireland and across Europe competing.
The team at Scone Palace are also getting ready for a truly paw-some event at the end of June. Paws at the Palace, organised in partnership with Dog Friendly Perthshire, will feature doggy fun and games, parades of different breeds, agility classes and some four-legged demonstrations for dogs and their owners to enjoy. The all-day event on Sunday 30th June will also include food stalls (for humans and dogs), cool-down areas, and a host of stall holders selling doggy gear and gifts.
Stephen Brannigan, Head of Palace and Events at Scone Palace, said:
"As one of Scotland's most iconic and historic visitor attractions, we look forward to welcoming visitors from all over the word during our summer season to experience what makes Scone Palace so unique and special. We have some really exciting events coming up over the next few months, including our first Paws at the Palace, which we are sure people, both locally and further afield will not want to miss."
Last week, Scone Palace announced it is introducing ground-breaking new rules on smoking and vaping to coincide with opening for the 2019 tourist season. The award-winning visitor attraction is now a smoke and vape free environment with the aim of making the Palace grounds as healthy an environment as possible for all visitors.
The policy does not extend to the wider estate which hosts popular events such as the annual Rewind Festival.
Scone Palace's summer season runs from Monday 1st April to Thursday 31st October 2019. During April and October, the Palace and grounds open at 10.00am, last admission at 4.00pm with the grounds closing at 5.45pm. From May to September, the Palace and grounds open at 9.30am.
For more information about Scone Palace visit www.scone-palace.co.uk