directly by the Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland. The etnphasis is firmly on tradition. making the picturesque Fife town an annual Mecca for lovers of unaccompanied song in particular. Competitions feature strongly. with contestants of all ages fighting it out for variety of vocal and intrumental honours. A long list of participating artists includes virtuoso balladeers Sheena Wellington. Hamish Henderson. Gordeanna McCulloch and Jock Duncan. plus old-style moothie maestro Donald Black. accompanied by Runrig's Malcolm Jones on guitar. ()tber entertainment includes ceilidhs. of
both the singing and the stotnping variety.
and open-air dancing. with a creche
available on Friday evening and Saturday.
SPEYFEST
Thu 7—Sun 10 Aug
Contact Paul Devine. 13 Spey Road. Fochabers. lV32 7PS.013~13 820611. How to get there The festival takes place in Fochabers. near Elgin. roughly midway between Aberdeen and lnverness on the A96: take the A‘) or A90 frotn the south.
Accommodation Tourist information: 01343 542666.
Tickets £74.81 weekend ticket £25.
The crack Festival Club at the Public Institute on the High Street. Try the Red Lion or the Gordon Arms for other sessions.
Eating out Food on sale at the tnain marquee. plenty of pubs serving meals; the Quaich for high teas and snacks. Other attractions Spey Bay Wildlife Centre. four miles away on the coast. or Buckie's small fishing museum. Fochabers itself is home to the Baxter's food clan. with a visitors’ centre attached to the factory. as well as being. we‘re told. ‘the Moray capital of antique shops'. About the festival Avowedly ‘pan- Celtic' festival now in its second year. with the main concerts taking place in the festival marquee on the playing fields (about five minutes frotn the High Street. where the festival caravan/shop/box office will be parked). This year’s programme mostly highlights the younger end of the current Scottish scene. with exuberant I-Idinburgh folk-rockers Burach. Wolfstone‘s fiddle and guitar/vocals pairing of Duncan Chisholm and Ivan Drever. and multi- talented six-piece Seelyhoo. featuring the fabulous Wrigley sisters on fiddle and guitar. Age and experience also take their place. however. courtesy of the Battlefield Band and harmonica/gttitar duo Donald Black and Malcolm Jones. with nightly ceilidhs ensuring that the buzz keeps birling.
MARYMASS FDLK FESTIVAL Wed 20—Sun 24 Aug.
Contact Joyce Hodge. 7 Machrie Place. Kilwinning. 01294 551047.
How to get there I-‘estival takes place itt Irvine. ten miles north of Prestwick. with the tnain centre of activity at the Redburn thel
Accommodation Tourist information: 0129-1 313886; for festival camping contact Start Robertson. 01204 2 I 3446. Tickets £5--£6.
The crack Main session spots are the Redburn Hotel and the harbourside Marina Inn.
Eating out Plenty of pubs and cafes. plus everything from Chinese to b'lcl)onaltls.
Other attractions Iigltnton (‘ountry Park. by Irvine itself. the old-time seaside charm of 'I‘roon. or the Burns Monument in Ayr.
About the festival Part of Irvine‘s traditional Marymass liestival. commemorating Mary Queen of Scots' visit to the town. with headline artists including Canadian barttstormers Mad Pudding and the Barra MacNeills.
bluesy singer-songwriter Johnny Silvo. veteran Geordies lindisfarne and exuberant Irish outfit the Buskers. Saturday sees the main festival gala day. with a carnival parade of horse-drawn vehicles. fairground stalls. a torchlit procession and firework display.
MULL 0F KINTYRE MUSIC FESTIVAL
Thu 21-Sun 24 Aug
Contact Anne Leith. 2E Bumside Street. Cambeltown. 01586 551053.
How to get there A82 from Glasgow to lnveraray. then A83; regular bus service from Glasgow.
Accommodation Tourist information: 01586 552056; free festival campsite — follow signs coming into town.
Tickets £5—£ 12.
The crack Likeliest session spots include the White Hart Hotel (where most ofthe artists will be staying). the Argyll. Whiskey Macs and Dillons.
Eating out Most hotels serve bar meals. as well as the Palm Bistro. the Dhorlinn anti the Locarno Cafe.
Other attractions To the east side of the peninsula are the glories of Makrahanish Bay. or further up the same coast, day trips to the Isle ofGigha from Tayinloan. About the festival A dynamic programme of contemporary roots sounds at the site of Scotland's new Northern Ireland ferry link. Saturday night’s marathon main bill features Wolfstone. Dougie McLean. fiery Irish gypsy trio Loyko. Scottish cajun kings Boogalusa. and the renowned vocal duo of Jim and Sylvia Barnes. Saturday is very much the big day. with a free. outdoor ‘Harbour
Splash‘ extravaganza during the afternoon.
led off by a Grand Parade of pipe bands. brass bands and vintage cars. followed by an open-air concert to welcome the ferry in. plus stalls. face-painting. bouncy castle and beer tent. Sunday sees a mellower day of afternoon pub sessions. followed by a closing Survivor‘s Ceilidh.
FOLK FESTWALS l!
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MELROSE MUSIC FESTIVAL
Fri S-Sun 7 Sep
Contact Hector Christie. Iiskdaill. Newtown St Boswells. 01835 823592. How to get there A68 or A7 from the Central Belt.
Accomm Vdation Tourist information: 01896 82-555.
Tickets Single tickets £5—£7; weekend ticket £20.
The crack The bar of the Corn Exchange — the main concert venue — doubles as the festival club. home to many a late-night singaround; other good bets include the Kings Arms. the Bon Accord and the George & Abbotsford. all of which have beer gardens.
Eating out Both the Abbey Cafe and Haldane‘s chip shOp will be opening extended hours for the festival. catering for everything from early breakfasts to
late-night munchies. Most pubs do meals.
Other attractions Melrose is rather idyllically nestled between the dramatic Eildon Hills and the River Tweed. with a ranger-guided walk through the former arranged for the Sunday.
About the festival Known as a ‘singer's festival'. Melrose simultaneously espouses an ‘anytbing goes' tnusical ethos. evident iii a tenth birthday line-up that features singers/songwriters Vin Garbutt. Keith Hancock (with his band. Famous Last Words) and Marie Little. Also appearing are guitar whizz Isaac Guillory. top fiddle/Northutnbrian pipes duo Tom McConville and Pauline Cato. Dundonian cajun stompers Boogalusa. the storming partnershi of multi-instrumentalist Brian McNeil and guitarist Tony McManus. and Skye-based roots/worId/dance sextet the Peatbog Faeries. The weekend's festivities also include children‘s entertainment. tnorris dancers. workshops and pipe-band displays.
FEIS ROIS SUMMER FESTIVAL
Ullapool, Wester Ross 4 - 15 August 1997
Fiddle, Tin Whistle, Accordion, Step Dancing, Guitar, Gaelic Singing, Keyboard, Clarsach
and Groupwork classes.
Workshops, family céilidhs and
dances. Ideal for individuals and
all the family.
For further details/brochure call:- Tel: (01349) 862600 Fax: (01349) 863465
TMSA KIRRIEMUIR FESTIVAL
Fri S—Sun 7 Sep
Contact Patrick Newman. Rose Cottage. Cortachy. near Kirriemuir. I)I)8 41.x. 01575 540261.
How to get there 00‘ the A90. about ()5
miles north of Edinburgh. Accommodation Tourist information: 01241 877883; festival campsite available.
Tickets £2.50—£4.
The crack Main session pubs include the ()gilvy Arms Hotel (also home to the festival office). Roods Bar. Thrums Hotel and the Airlie Arms Hotel.
Eating out Plenty of cafes and bar meals. plus Indian and Chinese restaurants.
Other attractions Stunning walks through nearby Glen Clova and Glen Prosen.
About the festival Sponsored by the Traditional Music and Song Association
Inge Johnson from Drop The Box
11 —?4 Jill 1997THE LIST9
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