From soul to space as Fife village festival starts

The village’s 36th annual summer event gets underway this weekend with a packed programme of activities.

The 10-day extravaganza is billed as “probably the best small festival in the galaxy” and features a host of live musicians as well as guests from sport, comedy, dance, literature and the visual arts.

It starts tomorrow (Friday) with a scarecrow Hunt in Aberdour with Aberdour ART Festival holding its opening event in the evening with various venues around the village taking part.

On Saturday there will be the crowning of the royal party in Shore Road Park at 10am before the festival parade.

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Aberdour’s newly-crowned regal representatives will lead the parade through the village by Dysart Colliery Brass Band.

Locals are invited to join the fabulously colourful crowd and dress up in an outer space’ theme to mark the 50th anniversary of man first landing on the moon.

Sunday is the village market – complete with a European theme – and fun day and the ever-popular Donkey Brae Run, as well as a football match.

Guest speakers include broadcaster and author Stuart Cosgrove talking about his critically-acclaimed Soul Trilogy of books, and comedy from Fifer Stuart McPherson, and Aussie Ro Campbell.

Aberdeenshire folk singer Iona Fyfe is one of Scotland’s finest young ballad singers and she will be performing in The Woodside Hotel on Tuesday while The Coaltown Daisies take to the stage in the same venue on Wednesday.

James Crawford, author, historian and presenter of the BBC’s ‘Scotland From The Sky’ will also give a talk on A Cosmos Planetarium at the church. Throughout the week there will be various activities for youngsters including a games zone at the Institute, slime-making and graffiti workshops and a bug hunt.

Helen Pearson, chairman of the festival, said: “There really is something for everyone.

“We’ve got some space-themed events, including a planetarium, space-themed talks from space industry professionals, as well as a family-friendly performance of ‘A Piano on the Moon’.

“The village market has a new format for this year too.”

For more details, visit www.AberdourFestival.org.