The first of three Big Burns Supper weekends gets underway tomorrow (Friday, January 17) with a focus on family fun and the return of the Dumfries Carnival after an eight year absence.
There will be 150 events at more than 30 Dumfries and Galloway venues – including cabaret, comedy, music and entertainment – from today until February 2, with the majority split into three distinctive weekends.
This weekend’s festival programme includes day and night-time street theatre, local musical performers on outdoor stages, ceilidh, workshops, family attractions, food market and a funfair in Dumfries town centre.
Organisers have included free activities and some at low prices for families to enjoy.
At 5pm tomorrow night there will be the launch of the weekend’s free Northern Lights lights and sound installations around the town centre with the public invited to wander a town trail and enjoy five installations plus the White Lights on the Whitesands.
And from noon to 8pm tomorrow there is a last chance to create a free lantern at Midsteeple Quarter’s The Press building on the High Street to hold in the Dumfries Carnival Parade, which starts at 5pm on Saturday.
Billed as “one of Scotland’s largest community events,” organisers have been holding sessions around the town and in schools across the region for weeks.
Participants will gather in the George Street car park at 4.30pm to follow a route around the High Street and Whitesands.
It will have a theme of Dumfries Through the Ages, with community groups and pupils from many schools telling the town’s story from 1958 to 2058, through dance and music – with many of the costumes also created in the region by a team of helpers and volunteers.
Justin Hyslop, associate director of Big Burns Supper, said: “We’re delighted to see so many local schools and community groups come together to make this year’s Dumfries Carnival such a special event.
“We’re celebrating the town’s rich history while also embracing the energy of the present and future.
“This carnival is about connecting the generations and offering something for everyone, and we’re incredibly proud of the creative talent that’s been showcased in the process.”
Before then, there will be free live music today at Queensberry Square.
The line-up for tomorrow is: 3pm Old Friends; 4pm Graham Barbour and Friends; 5pm Stoney Broke; 6pm Ndajz; 7pm Other Dog; 8pm Lovecut Revolvers; 9pm Dark Saturday.
For adults today there will also be Rock Fit in the Loreburn Hall at 5.30pm with a live band and high energy instructor, as well as the launch of a new jazz club at The Press at 7pm.
For children there are three days off £3 activities in a supper club at the hub at 70 High Street, running from tomorrow to Sunday.
Each day at 10am there will be Breakfast with Disney Characters; 11am to 12.30pm, Tots & Toys; noon to 12.45pm, Kids Day Rave; 12.30pm Cup Cake Decorating (every 15 minutes); 2pm to 2.45pm, stories from Mostly Ghostly Tours; 3pm to 3.45pm Kingdom of Creatures; 4pm to 4.45pm, Totally Taylor.
And, from 6pm to 7pm there’s a family ceilidh (downstairs) and family singalong bingo (upstairs), with more booking details and prices at https://bigburnssupper.com/family-hub/.
There is also a silent disco tour leaving at 10am from the hub and around the town centre on each day.
And there is an all-day haggis hunt which can be downloaded from the hub with clues to find 20 haggis hidden around the town centre.
There will be more free live music and entertainment on Saturday in Queensberry Square: 1pm Zoe Elita; 2pm Carlisle Clog and Sword; 3pm D&G Swing Band; 4pm Chivo; 6pm Kurlew; 7pm That’s Alright; 8pm The Mindsweepers; 9pm Way Up.
And on Sunday the line up is: 1pm LOKA; 2pm Ultimate Dance Effect; 3pm Jasmine and Guillaume Tiberghien; 5pm Liam Halliday; 6pm Ade Pringle; 7pm Firth; 8pm Promises Promises.