Burns n Bogle Folk Festival Moniaive

29th - 31st May

This weekend people are descending on Moniaive from Kirkintilloch, Germany, Cumbernauld, Berkshire, Chorley and even Azerbaijan. And all because one of the World's finest songwriters is kicking of his Farewell Tour of the UK and Ireland in the village.

Eric Bogle and John Munro have already sold out many of the dates on their five month long 'Waltzing Matilda No More' tour and people unable to get tickets at their closest concert are now preparing to travel.

And it's the grand finale of the 30th Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival, an action packed and varied week which started with Robert Burns and ends with Eric Bogle.

Moniaive's second Folk Festival in a month kicks of on Friday night with the second performance of Hugh Taylor's dramatisation of Burns the song writer and collector. 'Of A' the Airts - Robert Burns The Dumfries Years', features Stuart Hall as Robert Burns, music from Lionel McClelland, Gill Bowman and Rod Paterson and Narration by Moira McCrossan. Tickets are available from the Craigdarroch Arms Hotel or on the door prior to the performance.

On Saturday afternoon Gill Bowman is performing her Award Winning, one woman show, 'Toasting the Lassies' in St Ninians Church Moniaive. . It's 1796 and a middle aged Edinburgh woman learns that Burns is returning to Edinburgh. For some reason she imagines that he will come to her house for dinner and so invites her friends to meet him. The audience in this case are the guests.

At the same time in the Main Marquee local and visiting musicians have another chance to strut their stuff in the first Open Mic concert of the weekend. Performers wanting to participate should get there by 1 o' Clock when registration opens.

There will be a second Open Mic concert on Sunday afternoon to bring the weekend to an official close.

More about the burns and bogle festival

Review: Moniaive Folk Festival