Ceilidh Festival aims to be record- breaking success story
The twelfth edition of the Knockengorroch World Ceilidh Festival was another smash hit as it kicked off the summer season.
And this year the festival, based just south of Dalmellington, hopes to have made history by smashing a world record - for the largest gathering of people wearing unicorn horns.
The festival saw 999 people don the horn – in tribute to the national animal of Scotland, chosen to represent the aspects of peace and unity– and festival organisers will now send the evidence off the Guinness Book of World Records to be verified.
Guinness Records bosses will now sift through evidence from the festival before deciding whether they have earned a record- breaking accolade with this year’s event.
This year’s festival saw a wonderful mix of performers, as Knockengorroch has grown to be famed for.
The festival peaked on Saturday night as reggae legend Max Romeo kept the audience rapt with some laid- back classic tunes, marking a true highlight for many of the attendees.
Things kicked off on Thursday evening with The Fraoch Cabaret Stage, featuring performances from Jamie and Shoony, The Smokin’ Coconuts and The Razorbills as well as an ever- popular open mic event. Some of Scotland’s most popular live acts performed across the weekend, including ska legends Esperanza on the Bo- Airigh Stage on Sunday evening, and Glasgow dub group Mungos Hi- Fi Sound System with MC Brother Culture.
The Taight Tent was another popular location at this year’s festival, with a mix of Scottish spoken word, plays, performances and workshops during the day before becoming home to the Samedia Shebeen - an imagined jungle den that transported festivalgoers to another dimension.
Maddy’s Mash Tree was a little haven of happy people, while the Sheiling hosted an eclectic array of live performances.
With more venues and areas throughout the festival than ever before, organisers were proud to offer something for young and old alike.
Festival organiser Katch Holmes said: “We are overjoyed with how the festival went.
“The excellent bands, artists, crew and workshops provided an incredible cultural, environmental and social occasion not to mention our wonderful audiences who we believe must be the friendliest in the country.
“We hope to see everyone back again in our beautiful river valley soon.”