Celebrate local businesses and creative projects with The Big Spring Bash in St Andrews

Visitors can enjoy live music and local food and drink in the Wildflower Garden at The Big Spring Bash.

A celebration of spring, showcasing small businesses and creative projects from across Fife is set to take place in St Andrews next week.

The Big Spring Bash at St Andrews Botanic Garden will see an action-packed weekend of interactive activities, live music, local food and drink and an urban market for both locals and visitors to enjoy.

The brand new event, which takes place on Saturday, March 25 and Sunday, March 26, aims to create a sense of local pride, highlighting and celebrating the talent, produce and nature on our doorstep.

The event, supported by the Fife Strategic Events Fund, will bring together a variety of local organisations to offer a day out with experiences designed for all.

The event promises a great day out for the family with activities to keep the kids entertained too.

There will be food vendors from across the Kingdom taking part so visitors can enjoy local food and drink while relaxing with live music from local musicians in the stunning setting of the wildflower garden.

Partner and neighbour St Andrews Brewing Company is among those providing the refreshments.

Across the weekend there will be performances from musicians including Callum Gibson, RAAB and Gavin McGinty and family ceilidh sessions from Ceilidh Kids.

Other activities planned over the two days include tales for all from authors and storytellers Sheila Kinninmonth and Emma-Louise Beeson and rocket making and pond dipping with the education team from the Botanic Gardens.

Families with children under five will also be able to visit the Early Years Zone featuring science and nature activities specially designed for young families to enjoy together.

Dundee Science Centre’s team will deliver their community workshop exploring biodiversity and conservation through demonstrations, as well as making seed bombs with British wildflowers.

Visitors will also be able to get creative and try their hand at jelly printing, yarn spinning and nature crafts with local artists and makers.

Family pilates sessions will be delivered by Carol Urquhart during the weekend too.

There’s the chance for visitors to pick up unique gifts and artworks from the Urban Market which will showcase the very best in local artists, makers, designers and producers from in and around Fife.

Mel Jarron, from Scene Scotland – Urban Market, said: “We’ll be creating a beautifully curated market packed full of super talented traders, all gathered in the Botanic’s Glasshouse. Throw in live music, lots of family activities, food and drink and you’ve got the lot! We can’t wait to kick off our market season at The Big Spring Bash.”

Councillor Altany Craik said: “Fife Council are delighted to support this exciting new event through the Fife Events Development Fund. The Big Spring Bash offers a busy and varied programme of activities, which we believe will provide valuable benefits and opportunities for the local community, as well as attracting visitors to the town.”

The event also features as part of On The Rocks – Scotland’s largest student-run art festival, organised by students from the University of St Andrews.

Tickets for The Big Spring Bash are on sale now at standrewsbotanic.org/events, priced £12 for adults and £8 for children.

Proceeds from ticket sales will support the St Andrews Botanic Garden Trust’s charitable education and conservation work.

Through St Andrews Botanic Garden’s widening access scheme, a number of free tickets will be allocated for specific community groups to ensure finance is not a barrier for taking part.