Fireworks display all set to help Harbour Festival go with a bang

At Anstruther Harbour Festival this year, St Ayles Rowing Club will be putting on a new Community Challenge rowing event with races between teams from local organisations and businesses.

Martin Dibley, chairman of the new trust formed as a result of the change, said: “This recognises the continuing success of the Anstruther Festival since its first summer in 2013, when the organisation set to develop the Sailing Club’s Anstruther Muster into an annual community event for the people of Anstruther that would also attract visitors and tourists.”

He said much of the credit for the success was due to the work of previous chairman Ken Lawson, who developed the Festival’s framework of music, dance, food and crafts events.

This year’s festival is over the weekend of June 4 and 5 and will have some big changes from previous years

First off, there will be a Grand Fireworks display at 10.30pm on the Saturday evening, filling a big gap in the East Neuk’s summer festivities left by the demise of the Pittenweem Arts Festival fireworks.

As part of the festival’s Anster Fair revival there will be more traditional Scottish music and dance.

A pipe band parade will open the festival on Saturday morning and afternoon music events will feature ceilidh bands. In the evening, there will be a display by a team of top Scottish country dancers from Dunedin Dancers and the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society, followed by a ceilidh in the main marquee, with celebrated local ceilidh band Nackytoosh.

On the Saturday the Scottish Fisheries Museum’s Open Day will allow free entry to the Museum and in the afternoon, the historic sailing drifter ‘Reaper’ will bring in the Anstruther Fisher Lass and Lad for their naming ceremony.

St Ayles Rowing Club will be putting on a new Community Challenge rowing event in the afternoon, with races between teams from local organisations and businesses.

These include the Spindrift Hotel, Waterfront Restaurant, Ship Inn, Pagan Osborne, Stuart Barton Physiotherapy, Anstruther Tennis Club, Anstruther Rugby Club and Anstruther Fish Bar

This year’s festival is supported financially by Fife Council and a number of major sponsors. McCarthy & Stone are supporting the Anster Fair revival, and other sponsors include Spindrift Hotel, Muir Homes, Anstruther Fish Bar, Anstruther Community Trust and Anstruther Community Council.