Ahoy there! Aberdeen team reflects on the success of Scotland’s biggest free event of the year
The team at Grampian Hospital Radio pulled out all the stops to ensure their listeners didn’t miss out when the spectacular Tall Ships Races 2025 made a triumphant return to Aberdeen over four days in Summer.
This international event had last visited the Port of Aberdeen 28 years earlier, and there was a huge sense of anticipation across the city and shire for what was to be Scotland’s biggest free event of the year.
And it didn’t disappoint! The city welcomed 49 Tall Ships and almost 3,000 crew members from around the world. More than 400,000 visitors saw the harbour transform into a vibrant sea of colour, with free live music across three stages all day every day, a feast of street food stalls and quayside bars, while attractions in the city centre included a STEM Discovery Zone, a funfair, and a military village.
Deacon Blue, Kaiser Chiefs, Ministry of Sound, Tidelines and Calum Bowie headlined the quayside concerts over four unforgettable nights in one of Scotland's biggest outdoor music venues.
The intrepid Grampian Hospital Radio team united behind their mission to be a friend at the bedside of their listeners, covering every aspect of the festivities, to bring the colour and atmosphere of the Tall Ships event to patients, staff and everyone associated with the hospitals in Aberdeen.
This involved devoting more than 20 hours of live programming, with a distinct nautical flavour, and capturing interviews with more than 60 people on air. The presenters walked a combined 90-plus miles between them throughout the weekend, chatting to volunteers, members of the public, crew, local celebrities, dignitaries, and visitors from home and abroad.
They also produced a 60-minute special programme to bring the event’s highlights to their listeners, including an exclusive interview with the CEO of Aberdeen Inspired who answered the question on everyone’s lips: “When will the Tall Ships be back?”
Listening numbers increased across the four days – in hospital, online and via the GHR App – with 17.7K views of Grampian Hospital Radio Facebook posts and an amazing 555% increase in Instagram views on the previous week!
The team’s summary? “It was our pleasure to bring the Tall Ships closer to our listeners.”
Hear The Best of the Tall Ships special: https://www.mixcloud.com/Grampian_Hospital_Radio/the-best-of-the-tall-ships-july-2025/
Visit & Listen Live to Grampian Hospital Radio: https://www.grampianhospitalradio.org
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