🏳️🌈🏳️🌈 OBAN LESBIAN WEEKEND, 28th - 31st July 2023 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈. Media Partners - OutNewsGlobal magazine
Please join our Fb Group for information & undates (event is on the group): https://www.facebook.com/groups/491180415883273/
🏳️🌈🏳️🌈 Scotland's only 3 night LGBT women’s weekend - We are back for a second year!!
Oban Lesbian Weekend is an inclusive weekend, run by LGBTQ women and non binary people, for LGBTQ women and non binary people.
Children are welcome. Please email obanlesbianweekend@gmail.com for tickets.
Bring on the sea of women who like women, once again at Oban Lesbian Weekend!
🏳️⚧️❤️🏳️🌈 CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.OBANLESBIANWEEKEND.CO.UK.🏳️⚧️❤️🏳️🌈
ABOUT OBAN
- 90 miles west of Glasgow (about 2 hours driving), on the west coast of Scotland, Oban is gateway to the Islands, with it's world class scenery and a tourist Mecca in the summer months. Oban is also known as the seafood capital of Scotland and possibly the new LGBTQ capital of Scotland too.
- Oban Lesbian Weekend is a cross between a package holiday & a mini festival (there really is nothing quite like it, to compare), which initially came about in August 2021, as so many LGBTQ women said to Oban Lesbian Weekend founder, Maz Gordon, that they'd love to visit Oban and see some of the islands, it's castles and charm but they never thought they'd meet another LGBTQ person, and many worried about coming on their own or whether it might be a more homophobic place to visit that a city holiday.
- After 20 years or working in LGBTQ media & events worldwide, founder, Maz Gordon, decided that since Oban didn't appear to have any lesbians, she'd bring them! And then it grew!
- The good news is that the locals have been almost excited about OLW as our team! It's a very friendly place and a very friendly holiday experience! One of the most lovely things to come from OLW, so far is the sense of community and seeing so many new friendships from women, many of whom were initially nervous about coming alone but with the help of our great team (& v friendly fb page), they were'nt alone for long! Come & find out for yourself or feel free to email obanlesbianweekend@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Here is a rough itinerary, please note: this is subject to change & we do have more acts & events to be announced. 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
🏳️🌈🍻🏳️🌈 EVENING ACTIVITIES OR CHECK WWW.OBANLESBIANWEEKEND.CO.UK 🏳️🌈🍻🏳️🌈
Our Women's Ceilidh! - Come & join us at the first LGBTQ women's ceilidh in Scotland (that we know of!). Our ceilidh caller will teach you the Gay Gordons or how to Strip the Willow in style!
Headliners - We are delighted to announce legendary LGBTQ Dj Sandra D and her wife, the amazing singer, Alabaster Queen who will make their first ever Scottish appearance at Oban Lesbian Weekend, 2023.
- More acts to be announced soon!
DJ Sandra D & Alabaster Queen have been the highlight at pride events, Lfest, Unity Fest, Femme Femme Fest and across Uk queer clubs over the last 20 years. Those of you old enough will remember DJ Sandra D from her residencies at legendary London clubs, POPSTARZ, GHETTO, RUBY TUESDAYS AND CANDY BAR. Since moving to Manchester, she's been on the decks again and is a regular at Manchester Pride.
Alabaster Queen has been likened to Annie Lennox, Grace Jones and Joan Armatrading with her soulful rich, powerful vocals. She is the ex Lead Singer of the Spins and will have you singing and dancing along for Oban Lesbian Weekend's closing party.
- Welcome drinks & Ice-breaking games, hosted by our lovely crew, so if you arrive solo, you won't be solo for long!
- Option of hosted meals with budget options to 3 course fine dining.
- Friday night, we will have budget and 3 course dining options to eat at our main venue, the Scottish function suite, the Argyllshire Gatherings.
- Saturday night - Seafood crawl; Choose between The Famous Green Seafood Shack, The Tartan Shack, Vegan taco's at the Fish Taco bar or fine dining at Oban Bay Hotel & Number 17 dining options..
- Live Music & DJ's.
- Mini Pub Crawl - LGBTQ Women taking over Oban!
- Seafood Lovers - seafood crawl to the famous green seafood shack, the Tartan seafood shack and the Taco fish shack (vegan tacos available).
- Crew with bright, aqua t-shirts to host events and provide introductions.
🏳️🌈🍻🏳️🌈 DAY TIME ACTIVITIES 🏳️🌈🍻🏳️🌈
- Choice of Day Trips to the Isle of Mull, the beautiful island of Kerrera or the Wildlife boat trip (2 trips are included).
- On Mull - walks, lunch or spa and hot tub options.
- The Wildlife Boat tour takes you to see seals, birds, castles and if you are lucky, a pinky whale, eagle or basking shark (no promises!).
- Trip to the Isle of Kerrera included, with walks for varying abilities, including to Gylen Castle. Picnics can be made at accommodation, bought at seafood shacks or bought on Kerrera.
- Optional Extra trip to Staffa, Fingals Cave, see the puffins and The Treshnish Islands. Limited spaces. This trip isn't for everyone's budget but it is a trip of a lifetime.
- Beach trip with wild swimming, sunbathing (subject to availability) and paddle boarding options.
- Hosted walks to scenic spots
- Brunch meet ups
Imagine this beautiful venue, a few rainbows and a lot of LGBTQ women! Better still, come & join us!
🏳️🌈🍻🏳️🌈 OPTIONAL EXTRAS 🏳️🌈🍻🏳️🌈
- Outdoor Thermal Spa Session option at The Oban Bay Hotel.
- Spa treatments at the Oban Bay Hotel.
- Afternoon Tea by the sea
- Oban whiskey Distillery tour
- 3 hour fishing trip - last year some fisherwomen caught a glance of a minky whale, while others on the boat brought home some freshly caught mackerel, which tasted great on the BBQ later. https://www.outsavvy.com/event/10020/oban-lesbian-weekend-2023#anchor
ACCOMMODATION INFORMATION - OBAN GETS EXPENSIVE IF NOT BOOKED EARLY
We have pre-booked Dunmoore / Dunarl Guesthouses, Oban YHA & Oban Backpackers.
🛑 B&B's in Oban in July are normally £100-200 a night unless booked very early (yes, extortionate, we know - blame Brexit but they've always been high), so we have managed to get a discounted deal with the DunMoore & Dunarl Guesthouses & Oban YHA & Oban Backpackers, which means we can make it affordable regardless of your budget.
Dunmoore / Dunarl Guesthouses
- Dunmoore / Dunarl Guesthouses are less than 1 minutes walk to the Argyllshire Gathering, right as you come into Oban.
- Most of the rooms have been recently refurbished. They have a kitchen with a hot breakfast available at a small charge and their rooms worked really well for our attendees last year.
- Single rooms from just £145 for all 3 nights. https://dunmooreoban.co.uk
- P{;ease BOOK HERE or contact obanlesbianweekend@gmail.com for bank transfer details.
🏳️🌈🏴🏳️🌈Oban YHA🏳️🌈🏕️🏳️🌈
- Share an ensuite room with up to 5 other Oban Lesbian Weekend attendees.
- £32.50 per night plus booking fee.
- Stay at Oban's lovely YHA, where the majority of the hostel will be other Oban Lesbian Weekend attendees.
- Oban YHA has a free car park and is approximately 8 minutes walk to the Argyllshire Gatherings and 14 minutes walk to Oban trhttps://www.outsavvy.com/event/10020/oban-lesbian-weekend-2023#anchorain station.
- £6.50 for continental breakfast. Breakfast includes: Filter Coffee/Tea and orange or apple juice to drink. They have a choice of 5 cereals incl gluten free, fresh yogurt, fresh fruit, toast and a selection of fruit compotes(Jams), butter, jam and marmalade.
- BOOK HERE asap, as these rooms will book up soon.
🏳️🌈🏩🏩Other Accommodation Options - it pays to book early! 🏳️🌈🏩🏩
Booking.com and www.airbandb.com - Lots of book now, pay later deals this early.
🏳️🌈❤️🏳️⚧️Lancaster Hotel 01631 562587🏳️🌈❤️🏳️⚧️
- The Lancaster is on the seafront. It’s quite dated but for a budget option, you couldn’t ask for nicer staff or a better value for money price.
- If you phone to book directly quoting Oban Lesbian Weekend, they have single rooms from £137, including breakfast. Prices are subject to change.
🏳️🌈🛌🏳️🌈Corran House, above Markie Dans pub🏳️🌈🛌🏳️🌈
- Clean budget accommodation. Single rooms from £149
- Quote Oban Lesbian Weekend when booking.
- Most rooms are not directly above the pub, so we’ve been told it’s not noisy but ask them if unsure.
🏳️🌈🏴🏳️⚧️Oban Bay Hotel🏳️🌈🏴🏳️⚧️
- Facing the sea & includes the outdoor thermal spa.
- In our view The Oban Bay and No 17 are the best hotels in Oban but for those happy to spend.
- Currently on booking.com for about £500 for 3 nights. Nearer the time, it’s around £600 a night!
Oban Caravan & Camping Site
- £22 a night or £11 if one person in a tent.
- The campsite is 1.5 miles to town, so we’d recommend lift sharing or bringing your bike.
- Book on arrival. If you turn up as close to 12pm as possible and quote Oban Lesbian Weekend, the campsite will direct you to camping with other OLW women (subject to space).
Premier Inn
- Just a minute from the train station but book quickly as the price will rise.
- 👩🦽👩🦽👩🦽 We would recommend the Premier Inn for fully accessible rooms. 👩🦽👨🦽👩🦼
Your Oban Lesbian Weekend event ticket includes:
- Wristbands for entry to all Oban Lesbian Weekend activities starting 4pm Fri 28th July - 31st July 2023.
- Entry to our 2 rooms and bar at The Argyllshire Gatherings.
- Entry to our LGBTQ women's ceilidh (well-behaved guests of other genders are allowed).
- One Wildlife Tour OR ferry trip to the Isle of Mull.
- One return Kerrera Ferry trip and a choice of group walks for varying abilities and disabilities.
- A full timetable will be emailed to all attendees a few days before the event.
- Performances by DJ Sandra D, Singer Alablaster Queer & other Live Music and DJ’s (TBC).
- Opportunity to meet acclaimed Lesbian crime fiction author, Wendy Hewlett at book signing event.
- Hosted pub crawls and scenic walks. More events TBC.
- Crew to host dinners, drinks, walks, beach trips, buses, and our distillery tour (distillery tour must be paid for).
- Hosted, organised meals on Friday and Saturday night, so you can get to know people over a beautiful dinner, be it budget or fine dining.
- Food & drink are NOT included in your ticket price but only ticket holders are allowed to our group, hosted meals.
- Option to join group hosted meals. Budget options to 3 course fine dining. Booking for meals will be available nearer the time.
🏝👙🏖. The beach, the sea and the world class scenery are completely free! 🏝👙🏖
🛑🍔🛑A hosted meal means the meal is a group meal hosted with our crew, so you'll get introductions and our team will make you feel welcome, so if you've come alone, you won't be alone for long!! We understand that everyone may not be able to attend every meal, particularly the first and the last night or might want to split into smaller groups for the last meal (depending on numbers). Don't worry, we will have our main hosted meals all pre-booked and information on how to book other dinner in advance. More info coming soon but don't forget, it is Oban's busiest time in July, so advance booking is highly recommended. 🛑🍔🛑
At the Kerrera Ferry.
🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈 F.A.Q 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
How do I get to Oban?
- Oban is 90 miles from Glasgow. If you are getting the train, please book it at least a month in advance as it sells out in August.
- Citylink Buses also go from Glasgow to Oban and can be much cheaper if booked in advance.
- From the South - We'd recommend Easyjet for Flying, www.thetrainline.co.uk if you want the train or if you don't want to lose a day travelling, we'd highly recommend www.megabus.com - the night bus is from £9.99 each way and it's not as bad as you might think. You get on at London Victoria around 11pm, sleep the whole way and arrive in Glasgow with plenty of time to catch the 8.20am Oban train.
- London - Glasgow Sleeper Train is also amazing. Sign up for discounts at www.thetrainline.co.uk.
- Car Sharing - We will be encouraging people to post on our fb group, if you are happy to car share nearer the time.
- Bike - Everything is within walking distance but you might want to bring your bike. It means you can cycle to the Kerrera Ferry in less than 10 minutes instead of walking and Kerrera is lovely to cycle round.
Parking in Oban
- The train station has a carpark for just £3 a day. It gets quite booked up though.
- The Corran Halls Carpark is right next to DunMoore / Dunarl Guesthouse. Currently, prices are not showing but I believe it's around £5-6 a day.
- There is also Shore Street Carpark, which is about £5-£6 a day.
- You may also want to leave your car a 15 minute walk in free parking for the weekend.
🛑🛑🛑FURTHER INFO - TERMS AND CONDITIONS (more T's & C's in the next bit).🛑🛑🛑
- Booking site booking fee’s have been included in the price as they are 6% as we felt harsh adding £20 to a booking for fees.
- Please note: Prices may be subject to change as the hotel owners have some rooms to be announced that may cost more but if you have booked a price, you have it guaranteed..
What You Need To Know
Age restriction: 18 plus. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Terms & Conditions
- Oban Lesbian weekend is an LGBTQ women's centric event, open. We are inclusive of all LGBTQ+ women & non binary people and will not accept any discriminatory or bad behaviour. You are welcome to bring a well behaved friend, regardless of gender, as long as they support LGBTQ+ women.
- Well behaved children are allowed, as long as they are accompanied by a parent or guardian. Please email obanlesbianweekend@gmail.com for information about children's tickets.
- Well behaved dogs are allowed on Ferry's and therefore are welcome at most day time activities. Dogs are not allowed into The Argyllshire Gatherings, therefore we do not recommend bringing your dog unless you can make suitable arrangements for your dog when you are at The Argyllshire Gatherings.
- The organisers reserve the right to refuse or refund a booking in response to any alleged inappropriate or illegal behaviour
- 🛑🛑🛑PLEASE NOTE: NB: Food, drinks, travel and optional activities are all at an extra cost.🛑🛑🛑
- All attendees who book their own accommodation need an OBAN LESBIAN WEEKEND EVENT TICKET
- In the unlikely event that the event is cancelled due to covid, guests will be offered to transfer the ticket to next year or tickets will be refunded minus a 12% booking admin fee.
- Boat trips are subject to weather condition. In the unlikely event that boat trips are cancelled, we will reschedule them for another day where possible but there are no refunds on boat trips.
- Tickets are non-refundable but may be re-sold, with a possible admin fee or excess fee. Tickets may be transferred to next year with possible excess fees due to price increases.
- Tickets for host guesthouse accommodation are non-refundable. They may be sold on and if you do have to cancel with reasonable notice, it is likely but not guaranteed, that there will be a waiting list or it will be easy to sell on host guest house accommodation.
- For split priced ticket terms and conditions, please see the split priced information section below.
- Please contact the organiser on obanlesbianweekend@gmail.com for questions regarding cancellations.
Looking forward to meeting you all!
Thanks,
Maz & the Oban Lesbian Weekend team
A few of us from Oban Lesbian Weekend's crew last year.