Keith Festival was "super" success
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A HEARTFELT thank you has been issued by chairwoman Kathleen Anderson to all the supporters who contributed to a "super" Keith Festival of traditional music and song.
The 44th edition of the festival played out in the town over the weekend with good attendances at all the concerts and performances.
From formal concerts and competitions and impromptu performances by fiddlers and other musicians in local pubs and businesses, including a hairdressers, the town was a hive of musical activity over the weekend.
The outdoor concert planned for Reidhaven Square on Sunday afternoon had to be moved indoors to the Legion due to the threat of a downpour which did arrive at precisely the time the concert started.
A new addition to the festival line up this year was a dance with instruction which was well supported.
Mrs Anderson was also pleased to see an increased number of children at a bairns' ceilidh on Sunday.
All in all, it added up to a terrific weekend and the organisers have started planning the 45th festival.
"It was a super festival and went reall well. I was panicking about a fortnight before because we had difficulty getting venues but everything fell into place.
"All the concerts were well supported."
"We have to ask folk well in advance as musicians get booked up. We have some very loyal supporters who come from far afield," said Mrs Anderson.
Two of them were awarded honorary membership of the festival in recognition of their unstinting support.
Bothy balladeer Scott Gardiner, who lives in Edinburgh, and fiddle player Brian Cruickshank, from Lumphanan, were bestowed the honour for their stalwart service to the festival. The pair have only missed a handful of festivals between them.
Scott was singing and compering while Brian was playing with the Cruickshank family band.
Mrs Anderson also paid tribute to the many sponsors, without whom the festival would be unable to keep going.
