Fringe by the Sea highlights

Initially an outrider of Edinburgh’s cultural juggernaut, Fringe by the Sea migrated to North Berwick 11 years ago to become an autonomous, “creative and quirky” event, ranging from guided walks up North Berwick Law to bill-toppers from the worlds of music, comedy, books and broadcasting.

Running from 3-12 August, the festival’s music programme is nothing if not eclectic with acts including indie singer-songwriter

Badly Drawn Boy,

above, pop legends

The Manfreds and, from the US, soul queen Mica Paris, left. Folk guests include the irrepressible Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham, jazzinflected klezmer and Balkan specialists Moishe’s Bagel, award-winning harpist

Rachel Newton and the “acid

croft” of Shooglenifty.

Jazzers include renowned saxophonist Tommy Smith, award-winning pianist Fergus

Mccreadie (see left), vintage jazz vocalist Ali Affleck and Neapolitan swing from Philip Contini. Christine

Bovill presents her Piaf show while guitarist Graeme

Stephen plays his acclaimed score for the silent horror

part of a wider film

classic Nosferatu, programme.

Comedy stars include Jerry Sadowitz, Mark Steel and US veteran Lynn Ruth Miller, right, while for the more serious-minded, a literary programme

presents Richard Holloway, Sally Magnusson, Judy Murray,

below, and Misha Glennie ,aswellas lunchtime conversations with Lord Steel, Ruth Davidson, Roy Hattersley

and James Naughtie. There’s also a busy children’s programme and, if it’s novelty acts you’re after, they don’t come much more novel than Bobby Velvet and the

Alpacas – yes, one crooner, two fluffy South American quadrupeds.