The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Caledonia star Dougie can’t wait for 2018 Amber music festival to begin.
PERTHSHIRE: Dunkeld sets stage for busy weekend as live music extravaganza returns after break
Folk legend Dougie MacLean is looking forward to seeing Highland Perthshire buzzing when his music festival returns next month.
Perthshire Amber comes back to Dunkeld in two weeks, after a break last year, and businesses are preparing for it to be one of the busiest weekends of the year.
The live music extravaganza that attracts thousands of fans from around the world took a break in 2017 but returns on Friday November 2 in a more streamlined form. In recent years the festival ran for 10 days but this year it has been condensed into three.
The Caledonian singer, who attended school in Dunkeld and used to own the Taybank Hotel in the town, said: “It’s so great to be bringing the festival back to Perthshire after a year away.
“Dunkeld as the festival hub is really going to be buzzing with great music so I’d urge people to come along to any of the pubs over festival weekend and enjoy the acoustic sessions and a very warm welcome.”
The festival will include acoustic music sessions in Dunkeld’s pubs, open mic performances and a fiddle concert performed by Dougie and Tim Edey, before a sold-out farewell bash to close the festival on Sunday evening. Limited tickets are left for Dougie’s live performance at Perth Concert Hall on Saturday November 3, the only part of the event outside Dunkeld and Birnam.
Dunkeld business owners are already preparing for the influx of visitors and are glad to see the return of Perthshire Amber during a usually quiet month.
Neil Menzies, owner of the Royal Dunkeld Hotel which will be the festival hub, said: “Dougie has done very well for Scotland, particularly Dunkeld and Birnam. He really is one of Dunkeld’s sons.
“Most of the people who take part and come to the festival as visitors are fairly young and it pulls in a big crowd so it brings a bit of vibrancy to the area. It boosts the economy of the whole area through hotel stays and people visiting bars and restaurants.
“This time of year things are starting to die down so it’s a great way to extend the season.
“Perthshire is beautiful at this time of year so this is a good opportunity to showcase that, although the amber leaves the festival is named after are falling fast this year.”
Perth Arms owner Karen Alcorn is also looking forward to hosting music sessions over the weekend.
She said: “I’m lucky because I have a good local clientele so I don’t rely too much on visitors but it’s a nice wee boost during what would normally be a quiet season.
“The last time it was on they had a ‘pub of the day’ and ours was on the Sunday – it was a great atmosphere with the crowds and the music.”
Perthshire is beautiful at this time of year so this is a good opportunity to showcase that