Alyth Creates three-day festival is this weekend

The first ever Alyth Creates festival takes place this weekend and organisers hope that the three-day celebration of art, music, heritage and the outdoors could bring as many as 3000 people to the town... writes Clare Damodaran.

Encompassing 16 venues, the festival promises to showcase the best in creative life in Alyth, with workshops, exhibitions, demonstrations and music on offer across the weekend.

Artist Lesley Garside is one of the organisers of the event and is looking forward to a busy weekend.

She said: “The festival originally came about through a few local artists seeking to replace the now disbanded Angus Open Studios event that they participated in with a much wider range of activities in a smaller location.

“The idea was mentioned to the Alyth Arts and Crafts Guild who thought it was just what Alyth needed to bring people into the town and see all it has to offer.

“From there, local businesses became involved and other projects such as the Cateran’s Common Wealth initiative linked up to make this the event it has become - a showcase for the town’s diverse and flourishing creative life.”

Alyth Town Hall will host a three-day long artists and makers fair featuring work by a number of local artists such as Jilly Henderson, Vicky Hepburn and Kerstin Robb.

There will also be a number of outdoor activities in and around the town such as heritage walks and talks, bike rides, a climbing wall, and archery.

A cash prize of £100 will be up for grabs in a wild boar treasure trail.

Other highlights include a concert by Perthshire Brass and highly acclaimed duo McKay and Stout, as well as exhibitions by talented local artists in both the Losset Inn and the Alyth Hotel.

There will be a range of workshops on everything from jewellery making to willow weaving and wood working and spoon-carving to ceramics.

Alyth Film Club will present a screening of the award-winning 1969 classic film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, based on the novel by Muriel Spark, and the town’s Classic Restorations will show off a selection of their restored cars, including models by Janguar, Bentley and Rolls Royce.

Lesley added: “We think there is something for everyone.

“The concert musicians are world class and the heritage talk and walk will be of interest to many. The workshops and demos are aimed at all levels and cover a variety of interesting subjects.

“And there should be around 17 well-established artists and makers in the town hall - including Suzanne Scott who curated the Oor Willie bucket trail in Dundee.”

For the full programme of events, visit www.alythartsandcraftsguild.co.uk

We think there is something of interest for everyone in Alyth this weekend