FOLK FESTIVALS
of Scotland. Kirriemuir offers a feast of authentically traditional song. Scottish song is the centrepiece. showcased by leading exponents like Sheena Wellington and lock Duncan. as well as many local talents. A busy competition schedule culminates in a prizewinners concert on Saturday night. while a lively programme of street entertainment. ceilidhs and pub sessions should help console the losers.
TINTO 2 ‘FOLK IN THE FIELD’
Fri 5—Sun 7 Sep
Contact Gil Gillies. Wiston Lodge. Wiston near Biggar. Lanat’kshire. 01899 850228.
How to get there South throttgh Biggar along the B7055. then follow festival signs. Festival shuttle buses will run from Biggar and Lanark. Call the above number for details.
Accommodation Tourist information: 01899 221066: free festival campsite. Tickets single tickets £8 (£5); day tickets £10; weekend ticket £25; fatnin day ticket £15.
The crack Session tent on the tnaitt site. plus open mic stage.
Eating out Various food stalls on site. Other attractions New Lanark is twelve miles east — see Robert ()wen's nineteenth century socialist dream set by the Falls ofClyde.
About the festival ()ne of Scotland‘s few fully under-canvas festivals. with a mini-village of marquees scenically pitched in the 55-acre Wiston Lodge estate. offering spectacular views of the surrounding valley. Only in its second year. it‘s already looking like a major player. with a bill encompassing everything from Tam White‘s down ‘n' dirty blues to Rock Salt 8t Nails's contemporary Shetland/bluegrass mix: MacUmba‘s Latin-grooved pipes and drums to Andy Shanks and Jim Russell‘s fine original songwriting. There‘s also an onsite craft fair to browse through. while Mr Boom's antics and Stanley Robertson's stories should keep the kids amused.
PORTPATRIOK FESTIVAL
Fri S—Sun 7 Sep
Contact GA. Pickett. High Weirston House. Leswalt. Stranraer. 01776 870270.
How to get there A75 thtranraer then follow signs to Portpatrick. Accommodation Tourist ittformation: 01776 702595.
Tickets Concerts £4.50. workshops £1. The crack Sessions at the Herb House Hotel or The Crown. atnottg many others. Eating out All the local pttbs serve meals.
Other attractions Portpatriek's quaint old harbour itself. or the unspoilt countryside and beaches of the surroun.'ing Rhinns peninsula.
About tne festival Stnall but rather choicer fortned weekend bash in an attractive little harbour town near Stranraer. It is something of a favourite w ith off-duty tttttsiciatts. hence the thriving session scette underpinning the tnaitt concert progratntne. This year's bill includes cit-Battlefield Band multi- instrumentalist Brian McNeill. conletnporarv Geordie ballads from Jez Lowe And The Bad Pennies. US singer'- songwriter and banjo-picker Sara Grey. plus local Scots/Irish mayhem merchants Runt 0' The Litter.
OOON VALLEY FOLK FESTWAL
Fri 12—Sun 14 Sep
Contact David (‘owatL The Craigmark. by Daltnellittgton. 01292 550215.
How to get there Basetl itt Dalmellington. on the A713 between Ayr and Castle Dottglas.
Accommodation Tourist information: 01292 288688; free festival campsite.
10 THE LIST 11——24 Jul 199/
Tickets Single tickets £6: weekend ticket £20.
The crack Main session pubs are the Craigtnark and the Doon Tavern.
Eating out Bttrttside Restaurant. Jeannie Dean's. Mcllattie's Fish Restaurant; bar meals at the Craigtnark and others. Other attractions l)unaskin Heritage Centre local industrial heritage museum — or great walks around Loclt Doon (about five miles frotn Dalmellingtonl. with its ancient castle.
About the festival First-time festival in a charming little Borders town. described by guest MC Dantty Kyle as being made for sttch an event - he should know. being founder or director of half-a-dozen others. Gaberlunzie. John Watt. the Prodigal Sons. Alistair McDonald and Irish piper Lennie Martin head a mainly Scots and Irish bill. covering a range of traditional and
Other folk
Festivals are only part of the folk experience - the beat goes on around Scotland in other summer events.
Aberdour Festival Sat 26 Jul—Sat 2 Aug. Contact: Pauline Norman. Forth View Hotel. Hawkcraig Point. Aberdour. Fife. 01383 860402. Mixed arts festival including concerts by Wolfstone. Brian McNeill and Big Vern ’n’ The Shootahs. Aberdeen International Youth Festival 30 Jul—9 Aug. Contact: Nicola Wallace. 3 Nutborn House. Clifton Road, London. 0181 946 2995. 1ne1udes classical. dance. theatre and
jazz as well as two major folk concerts.
Scottish Festival at Wanloclthead. 14 Sep. Contact: Carole Davies. Wattlockhead Lead Mining Museum. by Biggar. Lanarkshire. 01659 74387. Mini-festival/gala day featuring country-dance attd piping displays, music and Scottish food. Strathearn Music Festival Thu 31 Jul—Mon 4 Aug. Contact: Margaret and John Morgan. Whin Cottage. Dundas Street. Comrie. Penhshire. 01764 679465. Everything from folk to
opera. classical to rock.
contemporary bases. The crack around the sessions promises to play as large a part as the official programtne. which
also includes ceilidhs and competitions.
Between times. the local steam train and coal mining exhibitions are well worth a look.
OULROSS FOLK FESTIVAL
Sun 14—Sat 20 Sep
Contact Robert McCormack. l Balgownie West. Cttlross. KY12 8Sl.. 01383 880794.
How to get there From Glasgow. take the A80 and then the M876. and tlte A985. Frotn Edinburgh the A90 or the A985. Culross is eight miles from l)unfermline and four miles frotn Kincardine.
Accommodation Tourist information:
01383 720999. Festival camping may be
Oleg Ponomaren from Loyko
available: contact Derek Bttrns. 01383 880274.
Tickets Main Friday concert £5 (£3). The crack Key session sites are the Red Lion and the l)undottald Arms Hotel. Eating out Both the above pubs serve good bar meals. or try the Bessie Bar Hall restaurant.
Other attractions Historic Culross is quite an attraction in itself. with its wealth of restored seventeenth century buildings. in addition to the imposing (‘ulross Palace and Culross Abbey. About the festival Small. informal. largely session-based festival in a fetching setting. The only programmed concert is on the Friday night itt a converted seventeenth century ltayloft attd features Scots/Irish outfit Beggar's Row. Plenty of visiting musicians are promised to gel the tttttes. songs and crack a-llowiug around the pubs.
Culzean Castle And Country Park Festival of Scottish Music And Dance Sun 10 Aug. Contact: Jonathan Cardale. Culzean Castle And Country Park. Maybole. Ayrshire. 01655
dance displays.
760274. A day out in the gardens with Scottish tnusic and
Edinburgh Festival Fringe Sun 10--Sat 30 Aug. Contact: Fringe Office. 180 High Street. Edinburgh. EH1 108.0131 226 5257/5259. Folk and roots music from one of the fastest- growing sectors in the Fringe. Main venues include the Famous Grouse House. the Tron Ceilidh House. Cafe Graffiti. the Spiegeltent and the Assembly Rooms.
Langholm And Eskdale Music And Arts Festival Fri 22—Sun
31 Attg. Contact: lan MacGregor, 013873 80914. A range of
concerts. including folk, in rural Dumfriesshire.
Braemar Night Sat 6 Sep. Contact: Fiona Hepworth. Tourist Information Centre: 26 Wellmeadow, Blairgowne. 01250 872960. Gala street fair with traditional music. song and dance. Aberdeen Alternative Festival Thu 9—Sat 18 Oct. Contact: Duncan Hendry. 10 Belmont Street. Aberdeen. 01224 6.35822. High profile multi-arts but music-based festival. with a major folk/roots element.
rtEttit PEARSON