Traditional Scottish music to the fore at Killin Festival

Perthshire will come alive with traditional music and song today as the Killin Music Festival returns to the village.

Building on the success of the inaugural festival in 2016, the three-day event will see some of the best acts on the traditional music scene, including Skerryvore, Manran and Dougie MacLean.

Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2017 Charlie Stewart will be joined by his band Snuff-Box, while folk super group Rura and Robert Robertson’s new band Tide Lines will also star.

The growing status of the fledgling event means tickets for the evening concerts have sold out but there remain many ways to get involved throughout the weekend.

Killin Primary School has formed a festival choir, who will perform on stage alongside the Killin Community Choir at noon on Sunday at the McLaren Hall.

McLaren High School Pipe Band will lead the procession down the village Main Street to the hall, where a fundraising coffee morning will be held in aid of Cancer Research.

The Sunday afternoon will also see an open stage event at the Killin Hotel, which will allow young emerging artists to compete for a spot on the 2018 Killin Music Festival bill.

The 2016 winners will open proceedings each night with Fergus, Callum and Ewan – young musicians from McLaren High School – tonight and Deadly Winters from Edinburgh tomorrow.

There will also be a series of workshops, including a Highland Hustle workout, a Killin Heritage talk, singing with Claire Hastings and children’s crafts.

Visitors will have the chance to join in with informal sessions with local musician Jack McRobbie throughout the event.

The full line-up for the festival, which runs from today until Sunday, can be found at www. killinmusicfestival.com.